


Between Two Worlds

by flightinflame



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Asgard, Canon-Typical Violence, Falling In Love, Hostage Situations, M/M, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-18
Updated: 2015-04-18
Packaged: 2018-02-13 17:18:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 33,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2158818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flightinflame/pseuds/flightinflame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The war between Midgar and Asgard has raged for too long, costing many lives.  Asgard proposes a hostage exchange in an attempt to bring about peace, and Earth has little choice but to accept, giving one of their warriors in exchange for one of Asgard's princes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1 - The Exchange

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ShadowHaloedAngel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowHaloedAngel/gifts).



> Whilst this fic is eventually going to end up as Thor x Steve and Tony x Loki, it is going to take a long time to get there. Whilst there is a power imbalance by definition, non-con elements will be avoided. That having been said, if the topic makes you feel unsafe, please be careful about reading this.

"My son..." The warmth of Frigga's arms enveloped Loki, and he closed his eyes, burying his face in the beautiful silken fabric of her dress. He took slow deep breaths, trying to stay calm. He could feel the tension in her shoulders, knew that she was close to tears. She was trying to stay strong for him, just like he was trying to stay strong for her.

"I won't forget you mother." He whispered softly. "It's alright. I am strong mother, and these mortals... their lives are but heartbeats. If this is what I must do... if this is what father longs for me to do, then I shall do it." He gazed up at her. "It will save lives." He tried to stop his voice from quivering as he spoke. There had been too many deaths. This was his chance to stop them.

"I know..." Frigga answered, kissing his forehead. "We had best..." She released him, gathering up the few possessions he was taking with him - his regalia, a few fine clothes, and some of his favourite books. Not much for a prince to take with him, but hopefully this would not be for too long.  
"Thank you mother." Loki answered, taking them from her, and walking by her side to the throne room, where Odin was already waiting in his finest armour. 

Loki knelt before the throne, his head bowed, and his few possessions by his side. This was not the first time that he had been forced to sacrifice himself for the wellbeing of Asgard. It would probably not be the last. That was the price for him to pay for being the second child, the one that was only a spare, a trophy. A bargaining chip, who was about to be bargained away. Anger swirled inside him, competing with resentment, and the pain of losing his mother.

Frigga took her place at her husband's side, her eyes damp with tears. Silence fell for a few moments, before the crowd rippled with whispers and the sound of Thor's shoes landing on the marble floor reverberated around the chamber.

The golden son walked forwards toward the dais, stopping to bow to the All Father and his mother, and then to his brother. Loki did not move from his spot on the ground, his hair falling forwards to expose his neck. He felt as though he were awaiting the executioner's axe.

Lights began to spiral and spark through the air, twisting in color, blindingly bright. The silence fell deeper than before, and Loki pressed his eyes closed as tightly as he could to try and block out the pain. A second later, the lights had ended, and the prince tilted his head up a little to see the new arrivals.

Midgar's champion stood there, in his uniform, and beside him was the metal man in his suit. They might not have had the finery of Asgard, but they had at least made an effort. The champion's eyes scanned the room, and Loki saw his mouth open slightly in amazement, before he thought better of it and dropped to one knee, bowing his head, the shakes of his body barely visible. The iron man stood there, one metal hand resting on the soldier's back, thumb rubbing against his shoulder in an attempt to keep him calm. By the soldier's side, there was a leather case, which the champion gripped with one hand, his knuckles white against the handle.

Nothing was said for a few moments, and then Odin spoke, his voice reverberating around the chamber.  
"For too many years, innocent men and women from both of our realms have suffered death and pain, caught up in this endless war. Today, everything is going to change, and the fighting will finally end. For the second prince of Asgard, Midgar is offering us their greatest warrior, and the chance of peace."

Loki glanced up, and saw the fear in the champion's eyes. He tried to flash a weak smile at him. A moment later, the smile was returned, before they both lowered their heads once more.  
"Good luck Steve." Tony whispered as he embraced the champion, then stood. Loki saw a small chunk of metal slip between them, but said nothing of it. The men of Midgar deserved their secrets.

Metal banged against marble, and a mechanical hand appeared in his vision. Loki raised his head reluctantly, and took the proffered hand in his own. Gathering his possessions with his other hand he stood up, following him silently as the other man led him away. He glanced back, for one final glimpse of the beauty of his home, and saw Thor standing in front of the champion. Then Asgard faded from view, and he found himself in a room made of cold glass and metal. He shuddered, trying to be silent, to hide his emotions.

The man he was with looked at him just for a moment, and then turned his back.  
"Jarvis will show you to your floor." With that, the iron man clomped away, leaving Loki standing there holding what he had left to his chest.

A blue light appeared in front of him, and from the ceiling a careful and eloquent voice spoke.  
"If you follow me sir, then I will lead you to your room."  
Silently, Loki followed.

***

On Asgard, Thor reached down to the champion, gently wrapping his large hand around the man's own.  
"Stand?" He asked softly, and the champion got to his feet, not relinquishing his grip on the case.

"Stay close to me Captain?" Thor was careful to phrase his words as a question not an order, but even so Steve did not want to risk arguing, surrounded by the warriors of Asgard, all of whom were armed. Head bowed, he walked after Thor, his skin crawling slightly. 

He stayed silent, following the prince's bright red cape along endless golden corridors, until they finally reached a tall set of doors, set with intricate knot work. Thor pushed them open, and let him step inside.

Steve looked around at the rich furs and burnished metal, and gripped his suitcase tighter. Thor led him into the large chamber, and Steve's eyes were drawn to the large bed against the far wall. He looked away a moment later, fighting down bile. Thor's hand reached to squeeze his shoulder.  
"It is alright Captain. I shall make you a bed by the window, there is a seat there that I believe will be most comfortable... and... I give you my word, I will do what I can to enable you to see your friend again soon."


	2. 2 - The Bargain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bargain is struck much to Tony's displeasure, and he and Thor both start to share their lives with the hostage in their care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the only chapter with a substantial overlap, because I felt it was important to show Tony's mindset prior to meeting Loki. The rest of the chapters won't have an overlap like this, and there will be more of an equal focus on Thor and Steve. Thank you everyone who read last time, and to ShadowHaloedAngel for her proofreading once more.

"No." Tony glared, looking at the crowd around the table. "We are not doing this. I can't ... I can't believe you would even..." In disgust, he got up and walked towards the door, before sighing and turning back. "We can't do this."

Director Fury arched an eyebrow, watching Tony's dramatics with a serious expression.  
"Stark. We do not have time for this."  
"So what, I'm meant to just sit here while we all argue about which of us we're sending to aliens as a slave?"  
"We need to discuss this." Fury answered.

"There's nothing to discuss." Steve said softly, looking up from the notebook he had been doodling in a moment earlier. "It has to be me."  
Coulson opened his mouth to argue, then seemed to think better of it, closing his mouth and taking a deep breath.  
"That's just fucking stupid." Tony rounded on the soldier, eyes blazing. "You are a war hero. You are ... you are not something we can just give up..." His voice shook slightly and he took a couple of deep breaths.  
"Jarvis, can you explain to Steve why this is a ridiculous idea?"

"Sir, they asked for one of the leaders in exchange for their prince. That means either Captain Rogers, or yourself."  
"Fine. Take me then, if he's going to be all damn heroic again and throw himself on his... can you even throw yourself on a shield? Then maybe it's my turn."  
Steve looked up at him and arched an eyebrow.  
"Tony, they don't have electricity in Asgard." 

Tony snorted, but sat back down in his chair.

Natasha cleared her throat, drawing all of the attention in the room to her. She spoke softly.  
"I know this isn't ideal, but this is the best that we could do. Frigga is giving up her son, and they want a... a fair exchange."  
"It's slavery. That's what it is." Tony snapped back.   
Natasha took a deep breath, ignoring him.  
"For a start, they’re hostages, not slaves. Frigga and Sif were both clear on that. They want someone who is… of equal worth to their offering. I would agree with Captain Rogers - he should go to Asgard. Stark should take over responsibility for Loki, who they are sending here. He is a prince of Asgard."  
"Hang on, I'm what?" Tony asked, looking up.  
"You are taking over responsibility for the Asgardian prince who they are giving us as part of the hostage exchange." Coulson explained.

"Shouldn't I at least get a say in that?" Tony asked softly.  
"Tony?" Steve asked softly. "If you really can't face it, I'm sure we could arrange for someone else to take care of him."  
"Don't you start." Tony snapped, poking Steve in the nose. "You're the one making the sacrifice, don't start worrying about me."

Fury tapped his fingers on the table.  
"This is happening, whether you like it or not. Stark, you have the biggest house, deal with it. You already have Rogers and Banner living with you, and with Rogers leaving you’ll have extra space. I need the two of you ready for an Asgardian ceremony. It's happening tomorrow, and you both need to be there."  
"I don't like it." Tony muttered, sitting down, and reaching to rest his hand against Steve's. Steve squeezed his hand.

Tony snorted and shook his head.  
"You are still a stupid dick Captain."  
"Thanks." Steve answered with a smile, looking around at the rest of the group. "I'll do it. Hopefully, I'll still be able to get messages to you, maybe see you... if I really am being cut off completely, well... it truly has been an honour to serve alongside you. All of you. I am glad that I can do this to help keep you safe." He reached out, shaking hands with everyone around the table. 

Tony took him gently by the arm, leading him back to his tower.  
"Come on, show’s over... we've got to pack."  
"Yeh..." Steve smiled, but Tony got the strong feeling that he was managing to make himself look a lot more confident than he felt. He wished that he could help, but there was nothing that he could say or do to make it better.

Steve was being sent off to a foreign world as a slave, and there was nothing Tony could do to stop that, nothing he could do to help. He just had to say goodbye, and welcome some alien into his house. Maybe it would be a fighter who had killed one of his friends. He would have to make them comfortable and keep the peace.

Steve reached out to wrap his arms around him.  
"It's alright Tony. I really appreciate everything that you have done for me, but now I have to do something for you. It's alright."  
Tony pulled away from the embrace, going to fetch the suitcase.

"You are being far too alright about this." Tony informed Steve as he returned carrying a leather suitcase that Steve had had in his room. "You are being sent away as a slave-"  
"Not a slave." Steve argued. "Natasha said so."  
"Basically a slave." Tony continued. "And you seem entirely calm."  
"It's going to bring peace Tony. It's an end to the fighting, and hostage exchange... it's traditional, it happened in Viking times and the Asgardians have just carried on with it."  
"Oh, it's traditional is it?" Tony muttered. "You know what else was traditional for Vikings? J, find some pictures of blood eagles for me."

"I am afraid that at the moment sir I am unable to access the internet." Jarvis spoke from the ceiling, disdain clear in his voice. Tony sighed, and patted Steve on the arm.  
"Sorry, that probably wasn't helpful." Tony murmured, and Steve shook his head.  
"It's alright." Steve answered. "I know you're afraid right now. We both are."  
"Let's just get you packed." Tony murmured. "I'll give you a Stark Tablet... I've developed a way of charging it with solar panels, so if you've got daylight you can charge it. Jarvis, get a tablet, fill it with as many books as you can, films too... it might be helpful."

"Understood and done sir."  
"So now, you've got internet access?" Tony muttered, irritated. Steve smiled at him sadly, and Tony took a deep, calming breath. "Let's get everything ready."  
Steve stood, picking up the case and walking up to his room, Tony trailing behind.

The next morning, Steve had his bag packed, the Stark Tablet buried in the lining of the case. He was wearing his Captain America uniform. Tony reluctantly stepped into his suit.  
"It's not too late to back out Steve."  
"I know." Steve answered. "But I don't want to."

Light began to swirl through the air, and Tony realized that now it was too late. The room around him faded out, and was replaced with golden walls and elegant arches. At any other time, Tony would have been fascinated by this alien architecture, but now the anger inside him was too great.

Steve was stood beside him, clinging to his suitcase, and then dropping to kneel. He was mirroring the movements of the man with dark hair opposite - this must have been the Asgardian Prince that was now Tony's problem. Luke, Loki, something like that.

Tony kept his hand on Steve's shoulder, rubbing at the material of his suit softly in an attempt to help him to relax.

Odin began to speak, droning on about tradition and war and other things - Tony couldn't be bothered to listen. Instead, he crouched down and embraced Steve tightly, whispering "Good luck" in his ear. He placed a small device into Steve's hands - he'd made it the previous night, had started planning it in the meeting with the rest of SHIELD. If he couldn’t stop it, he could at least do something to help. Reluctantly, he straightened and walked over to the prince. He offered him his hand, and helped him to stand, then led him back to where the dancing lights were already waiting to take him home.

He stepped into the light, and was back in his office, with the Prince behind him. The alien looked like he was about to start crying, but Tony didn't have the time or patience to deal with it right now. Not when Steve might be suffering. He turned away.  
"Jarvis will show you to your floor." He walked away, heading back to the workshop where he could remove his suit.

The workshop felt strangely empty without Steve there - he'd got used to having him around the past few weeks. Bruce was out volunteering in the shelters, and Tony was alone in his home, with that alien somewhere upstairs. He stepped out of the suit, and crossed over to the workstation.

Steve's sketchbook was lying on the bench, open to a sketch of the entire team together. They were laughing, arms around each other, and Dummy was whirring around in the background. Underneath it, Steve had written "Goodbye Tony, thank you. S.R."

Tony swore, putting the sketchbook to one side.  
"Fucking self-sacrificing idiot..." He muttered to himself. "J, have we got access to the tracker?"  
"Indeed sir."  
In front of him, a panel of light appeared, showing a glowing dot on the screen. He ran his fingers over it, magnifying it, then putting it back to its size.   
"All functions appear to be working sir. Scanning for movement and life signs are constant. Camera and audio can be set up when attached to the Stark Tablet."  
"Well done J. Knew that we could do it."

***

Thor watched his brother disappearing, guilt swirling around inside him. He was frightened for Loki, just as their mother was. Loki was strong, and intelligent, he didn't doubt that. But he would be a world away from his family, and the man who had taken him away did not look happy.

The prince prayed that his brother would be alright, but he knew that he could not take his own anger out on the warrior who was now in his charge. He gently wrapped his hand around the Captain's own.  
"Stand?" He requested, watching as the man carefully stood. The captain was undoubtedly handsome, and he had seen him on the battlefield - a warrior, skilful and commanding, caring for his troops. Thor hoped that in time, the two of them could become friends - it would make life simpler for both of them.

"Stay close to me Captain?" He asked, leading him back along the corridors to his chamber, leading him inside. He saw the Captain's eyes darting around the room, before he focused on the bed. The Captain looked afraid, glancing away. Thor wondered for a moment what was wrong, before realization thundered through him, leaving him reeling.

The Captain was afraid of him, of what he might do. He gently reached out to place his hand on his shoulder, struggling to find words that would offer him comfort.  
"It is alright Captain. I shall make you a bed by the window, there is a seat there that I believe will be most comfortable... and... I give you my word, I will do what I can to enable you to see your friend again soon."

He patted his shoulder once more.   
"Rest, sit by the window, and I will fetch some blankets and furs. Then we can make it more comfortable for you."  
"Thank you." The Captain said quietly, carrying the case over to the window and sitting down, his head bowed.  
Thor opened his mouth to say more, then headed away to find the furs. Practical things were sometimes easier and it would give the Captain a few moments to settle in.


	3. 3 - A Fresh Start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve has an interesting awakening, and Loki makes a friend.

Steve lay awake, warm furs over him, listening to the sound of the Asgardian prince snoring in his bed and trying to stay calm. He was certain he had made the right decision to come here but he still felt uneasy.

He glanced up at the golden ceiling which seemed to glitter in the starlight filtered in through the open window. The metal was so burnished that it was almost a mirror reflecting Steve and his companion. Thor looked comfortable in his own bed, sprawled out and utterly relaxed, deep in sleep.

The Captain was a little startled at how calm Thor appeared. He looked almost defenceless right now. Steve could have attacked him if he wanted to; hurt him, maybe even killed him. He was certain there would be guards at the door, but they couldn't get in fast enough to stop him. But such actions would likely spark off further fighting, which was the last thing that he wished to do. That, and the prince had caused him no injury or harm - it would have been ungrateful to attack someone who had treated him kindly. 

Pushing those thoughts aside, Steve tried to lay still. He didn't like being motionless - even when he had been younger and sickly, he had always wanted to be moving. Now he desperately wanted to be out there, doing something. He wanted to be fighting, to be in the heat of the action. Instead, he had to try and sleep in the same room as the enemy, and know that there was no way home. The one comfort for him was that his few possessions were stored in the case beneath his feet. They were secure there, so at least he would have a way of contacting home – if Tony’s device worked.

The silken curtains rustled in the breeze, cool air making the room less stifling. Steve didn't register falling asleep, the anxiety and restlessness pulsing around his brain becoming so overwhelming that he wasn't aware of passing out.

He woke when something heavy pressed down on his chest, and he felt hot damp breath over his face. He cracked an eye open, hands balled into fists, ready to fight when he saw exactly what it was that was above him.

His first impression was of the sheer size of the animal leaning down over him, larger than a man, drool hanging from its lips. There were sharp black horns from either side of its head, and others running down its back either side of a crest of fur. It snarled down at him, and Steve held his breath, trying not to move, and hoping that whatever it was it would get bored of him.

Its mouth lowered, a thick tongue spilling out and licking at his hair, before it inhaled a few times. Steve slowly realised that it was sniffing him, and he couldn't help whimpering when it pressed sharp teeth against his shoulder.

The creature paused for a moment, and Steve braced himself for a fight, tension coiling through his muscles. He wouldn't be able to win against this strange dragon/wolf monster, but he would fight to his last breath.

"Onyx. Heel." Thor called out, sitting up in his bed and laughing slightly, patting the bed beside him. The creature gave Steve one more sniff, before turning around and prancing back to its master.

Steve gasped in air, heart thudding in his chest and the room swimming before him.  
"Did he give you a fright Captain?" Asked Thor, rubbing his hands across the beast's shoulders. "Onyx, you shouldn't bother the poor Captain, he's a guest here..." 

The beast tilted its head, and Thor chuckled, burying his face in its shoulder and petting it all over.  
"I know you were just playing, but you startled him..."  
The monster jumped up on its hind legs, towering over the Asgardian and pressing its paws into his shoulders. Thor mirrored his actions, trying to push him back, and they fell to the floor, rolling over and pushing at each other.

The beast seemed to gain the upper hand, its clawed paw pressing over Thor's windpipe, and Steve stood, wondering if he should interfere.  
"It is quite alright Captain." Thor gasped out, gesturing to his throat, and Steve saw the claws weren't actually pressing at his neck, but were instead held near it. Thor was at no danger, and the next moment he had flipped the two of them.

Steve tried to block out the noise of the prince's roughhousing with what was apparently his pet, turning his attention instead to the case that he had brought with him the previous night. He checked that the locks were intact, then sat back with the case beside him, watching the Prince and the creature. 

Thor lifted his head, sending the monster over to a corner.  
"Captain, you need not guard your possessions so tightly. I swear upon my honor that no one shall take them from you..."  
Steve smiled tightly and nodded his head.  
Thor paused. 

"Would you wish to join us? I assure you that Onyx might be a brute, but he has a tenderness about him - he has never done me a grievous wound in our playful fights, and he makes a more loyal guard than any of my father's men..." He hesitated, and beneath his princely authority, there was something close to fear. Steve, after a lifetime of being turned down often when he sought friendship, recognized that tone and it was that familiarity that drove him to act. He tucked his case under the furs, and walked towards Thor.  
"What do I do?"  
"Try to rub his shoulders. He is rather fond of that."

Awkwardly, Steve reached forwards to rub the creature's shoulders. He couldn't help a smile when its tail began to wag, faster and faster.

***

Loki sat on the bed in what was apparently his room, feeling completely alone and afraid. As a child he had shared a room with his brother, and whilst he had been granted his own room as he had grown, he had still found himself around people - his chambers had been large, but they were close enough to the chambers of his brother and his mother that he had been able to hear Thor's snoring, and Frigga's singing when she awoke. He woke every day to the sound of the palace, but now he was in a room that was strangely silent.

The room was stark and surprisingly empty, but what he could see appeared to be fine - he did not think that the room was meant as an insult or a degradation. Perhaps this was simply how those of Midgar chose to lay out their spaces. There was a table and a chair in the corner, a few book shelves, a bed, and a closet for his clothing. Those were all that were here aside from a painting of a sunset above the bed. The furnishings of the room were metal and glass, shining brightly in the early morning light.

He stood up, and walked to the window, glancing out at the rows of metal and glass buildings stretching out before him. The entire atmosphere felt clinical, and the only contact he could have with others was the vague shapes of people scurrying along the ground hundreds of feet below. Far from easing his loneliness, it frightened him, and he returned to the bed, drawing his knees up to his chest and trying to work out a course of action. He was smart, and whilst his captor might have thought that he was genius, he would soon find himself outmatched. He just needed to make a plan.

There was a knock on the door, and then silence. Loki waited for a few moments, before he realized they were awaiting his permission.  
"Come in?" He called, expecting to meet one of the Iron Man's servants. The individual who walked in was no servant however - he was scruffily dressed, his hair soft and tangled, but this was a warrior that Loki had encountered on the battlefield. A man whose capacity for transformation almost matched his own, were it not for the mindlessness of the man's other form.

"Hulk."  
"Just Bruce please." Bruce answered, walking over and holding out a tray. There was toasted bread, spread with butter, and a bowl of cereal, alongside a glass of orange juice. "Sorry, I didn't know what you would like for breakfast, so I guessed..."

Loki took the proffered food, sampling each item in turn before beginning to devour it. Bruce simply watched and smiled until Loki had finished. The Asgardian prince raised his head.  
"What are you waiting for?"  
"I wanted to check you were okay." Bruce answered. "Is there anything you need? Water? More food? Sorry, I didn't know what Asgardians eat... I can get you books if you would like. Norse myths even."

Loki snorted slightly.  
"It always is interesting to see what the Midgarians made of our visits..." He agreed, then glanced at Bruce. There was a kindness to his face that he decided to trust. "I would like some water. And a book, if I may..."  
"Of course I'll get the book. I'll bring a blanket as well - Tony tends to get a little carried away with making things stylish... there's a bathroom through that door, the cold tap has drinking water, and there's a cup in the desk, but I will see if I can have some more delivered."  
Loki nodded, letting the other man continue to talk.  
"Tony's working right now, but I tend to eat at pretty regular times, so I can make sure Jarvis lets you know, and you can come and join me. You aren't going to go hungry."

"Why are you being so kind?" Loki asked, gazing at Bruce. "My host clearly does not wish for my presence."  
"Tony's just worried about Steve. We all are, but Tony especially." Bruce explained. "They are good friends, and he... we are struggling with the terms of the truce. It must be frightening for you right now."

Bruce was sat beside him now, watching him closely.  
"Did you choose to come, or were you told to?" He asked, and there was a kindness there, as though he wished to help.  
"I did what was expected of me." Loki answered, regarding him coldly. "I am a prince of Asgard, and I shall act as such. I shall defend the kingdom, even if it comes at a price." He sounded almost haughty, but Bruce wasn't looking at him with derision. If he had had to name the expression on that man's face, he would have chosen concern, maybe even pity.

"Not the first time?" Bruce asked, and Loki shook his head.  
"I do my duty to protect the golden figure of my brother." He answered, disdain clear in his voice. "At least this time, I am not expected to give birth to a horse."  
"Sleipnir?"  
"You know my child's name?" Loki asked, more surprised now.  
"It survived in myth." Bruce answered, squeezing his shoulder gently. Loki was too shocked by the contact to protest it. "Tony is a good man, and no harm will come to you. Just give him time, and perhaps you will become friends. He wants you here about as much as you want to be here..."

"Always good to feel welcome." Loki answered, but he was smiling now.  
"I'll bring you something to read at least." Bruce offered. "What would you like to read?"  
A siren cut through the air, and Bruce frowned.  
"Sorry, have to go. Tell Jarvis, I'll bring it later." With that, he left.

Loki was left alone on the bed once more, siren echoing through the air, thinking through the information that he had been given about the man who had taken him here.


	4. Adjusting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is injured and Thor takes Steve to a ceremony. Both begin to see another side to the hostages that are staying with them.

Tony fought down a wince as he landed on the balcony, shaken and bruised from the fight. He glanced down at his suit and swore. He was sure that his suit shouldn't have the arm at that angle, and even more certain that his arm inside the metal casing shouldn't be bent that far around.  
"Bruce, are you back yet?" He asked on comms.  
"I am, just need to get back to base. Coulson's on his way to get me. Are you alright?"  
"Pretty sure I broke my arm, those things were vicious."  
"On my way." Bruce reassured him. "Try and not fall apart without me there."  
"Got it doc." 

Tony ended the call, and made his way along the balcony, letting Jarvis remove everything other than the casing over his damaged arm. He frowned. The casing was probably ruined now - he'd have to take it to the workshop and cut it off. He walked into the living room, frown deepening when he made out the figure of Loki. Loki walked over to him.  
"What are you doing out of your rooms?" Tony asked.  
"Sorry..." Loki muttered. "I didn't realize I was a prisoner within them."

"You aren't." Tony admitted reluctantly. "I just wasn't expecting to see you. Anyway, if you could just let me get down to the workshop, and carry on with whatever you were doing, I can fix this." He gestured with one hand to the damaged arm, hoping that his 'hostage' wasn't about to attack him while he was weak. Loki reached out towards him, and he nearly flinched back from his touch.  
"What are you doing?"  
"Helping." Loki said softly. "Permit me to see the wound?"  
Tony hesitated, then held out the metal encased arm.  
"Sorry, as you can see it's slightly..." He shrugged, hissing in pain at the movement. Loki nodded calmly, and set to work, carefully easing away the metal casing, and then placing his hands on either side of the break. His eyes closed, and he muttered softly to himself in a language that Tony had never heard before.

Tony had been expecting to see a glow, or sparks, but instead a simple warmth spread along the length of his forearm, and Loki gradually guided the broken ends of the bone back together. There was no sudden burst of agony - the movement was gradual and he didn't feel any pain as Loki manipulated his arm, then moved his hands closer together. 

Loki's eyes looked faintly red, and Tony bit down on the urge to comment about it. It took several minutes before Loki let go, pale and shaking a little, his eyes wide.  
"There. It will be a little weak still. Once I am rested I can try to strengthen it."

Cautiously, Tony stretched out his fingers, moving them slowly. It was painless. He had been healed, and his arm was whole once more.  
"Thank you." His voice shook slightly, and he turned to look at him. "Why did you help me? I mean, you don't want to be here, and it's got to be a bit early for Stockholm Syndrome to be setting in right?" He muttered, half to himself, turning his hand over and flexing his fingers, circling his wrist. "This shouldn't even be possible." He muttered.

Loki managed a soft smile.  
"I gain no joy from seeing you in pain. And you haven't been cruel to me. Besides, I have nothing to gain for making you hate me."  
"I wouldn't hurt you if you hadn't fixed it you know?" Tony protested. "I mean, I'm glad you did, but this is a no hurting area. You're not going to get hit, or anything. I mean, I don't know what you guys are like, but we're... I wouldn't. You did nothing wrong. And you look hungry, so let’s just get some food and sit you down and make sure you eat, and then I should get Bruce and Jarvis to run tests on my arm, not that I doubt your abilities I just want to work out how this could happen."

"I ate only a few hours ago." Loki admitted, and Tony shrugged.  
"Well it's nearly dinner, I'll talk to Bruce... Loki?" He asked, actually looking into the hostage's eyes for the first time since he had brought him back. "Is there anything you need?"  
"You have been most generous." Loki answered, glancing down. "I miss my brother but that... that cannot be helped. Otherwise, your kindness has been... truly appreciated."

Tony nodded, heading down to the workshop now, wanting to try and fix the suit and scan his arm. He reached the top of the steps before glancing back over his shoulder at Loki and tilting his head.  
"Come on. I got something to show you."

Loki trailed after him, and Tony made his way to the workshop.  
"Jarvis, I want you to call up the surveillance images you have..."  
Projections appeared in the air before them - heat signatures in a room. One man was leaning close to another, adjusting something at his front. Tony pointed at the larger figure.  
"That's your brother now." 

"I... I see." Loki agreed, and Tony swiped the image to one side, pulling up an image of Steve glancing at a tablet, with the bulk of Thor's body visible in the background.  
"And there he is last night."  
"That... that is good to see." Loki murmured. "You gave your friend a communication device?"  
"I didn't want him to go there alone. And maybe you can use it to talk to Thor, as long as he doesn't let on Steve has it."  
"I give you my word he will not."  
"Then maybe the two of you can talk as well." Tony conceded, smiling a little at the joy on Loki's face at his offer. “Now, I have scans and we need to sort out dinner, so give me some space.”

***

"You must stand still." Thor insisted, reaching out one hand to steady the Captain and fastening a buckle with another. "It is important that you have clothes for ceremonies.  
"I had my uniform." The Captain answered.

"You did. But it is a symbol of war, not of peace. Is this not sufficient?" Thor asked, gesturing with one hand down at the clothes that the Captain had on. They were a suit of armour in the Asgardian style, silver but with red and blue decoration on, and set on blue leather, decorated with white stars and circles. 

The Captain’s frown deepened, and Thor patted him on the shoulder, completing the task of helping him dress.  
"I know it is not what you are used to. But I hope that it is comfortable." The clothing had been made by Asgard's finest tailors, so Thor knew that it should have fitted well. He waited for the Captain's agreement.

Stiffly, the other man nodded, and Thor's grin widened.  
"You need not wear it all of the time. Only when you are attending a formal ceremony and are expected to be dressed in such a way."  
"I'm not great at ceremonies." The Captain smiled to himself. "You should ask Tony, he hates working with me on them, I always make a fool of myself."  
"I believe you judge yourself too harshly." Thor reprimanded. "But I know that it must be difficult for you. You need do nothing more here than be present. Tonight, there is a feast to celebrate the end of the conflict, and you shall attend."

The Captain opened his mouth before seeming to think better of it and Thor crouched to look him in the eye.  
"You are not being brought there as a trophy." He reassured him. "You are there as a sign of the peace between us, not of our victory, and afterwards I give you my word that you shall be able to see your friend."  
Reluctantly, the Captain nodded his acceptance.

Thor thought the promise of seeing his companions soon went a long way towards calming him, and though he was unhappy with the situation at least the Captain seemed to be more relaxed now.  
"Come with me Captain." He murmured, seeing the Captain carefully tucking all of his belongings from Midgard back into his suitcase. The Captain looked up, a little startled, and came to stand beside him.

Thor led him along the corridors, trying to ignore how obviously uncomfortable the Captain was. He wanted to help him, but he didn’t know what he could say to put his mind at ease. He could only hope that once they were at the feast, he would relax a little.

"Here." He instructed, leading him into the main hall. 

Whereas when the Captain had first arrived the hall had been empty, it was now set with long feasting tables, running its entire length. Thor looked around and caught sight of his mother and father towards the centre of the feast. He felt a slight jolt of pain at the fact his brother was not beside them, but he tried not to let it show, his head held high. The Captain followed in his wake, glancing around curiously. The human stumbled when he noticed that he was being stared at, and ducked his head. Thor reached out and rested a hand on the Captain's shoulder.  
"Do not be afraid." He spoke quietly, his voice a low rumble in an attempt to prevent them being overheard. "This is a joyous occasion."

The Captain just smiled slightly, and took a seat when Thor found one for him, sitting beside him. Thor scanned the surrounding tables until he caught sight of Lady Sif, tilting his head to call her closer. She walked to them, slipping into the bench on the opposite side of the Captain, permitting him some shelter from the chaos of the room.

There was laughter from another table, and the Captain's shoulders tensed slightly.  
"Here Captain." Thor murmured, handing him a goblet filled with mead. "Drink this, it might help."  
The Captain opened his mouth to argue, then shook his head and took the glass.  
"Thanks." He smiled. "You can call me Steve you know? It doesn't always have to be Captain. I don't call you Prince."  
"As you wish Steve." Thor chuckled, watching as plate after plate of rich food was brought out - a multitude of meats, creamy cheeses and fresh vegetables, with a mixture of sugary sweets. As the meal went on, Thor was careful to ensure that Steve's glass remained topped up.

Steve clearly had a large appetite, and was curious to try a variety of dishes. It seemed that the sweetest foods were his favourite. As he sampled them all, he continued to drink, and slowly his fear appeared to fade and he relaxed, leaning in to talk to Lady Sif.

Thor allowed him to drink – if it was helping this be easier for Steve, he was hardly going to stop it. He let himself be drawn into conversation with his friends, and played Steve no more attention until there was the crash of a plate sliding to the floor, and Sif’s laughter. He turned towards her and saw that Steve was face down in what remained of his dinner.  
Thor chuckled, reaching to pick him up and carefully wiping the food from his face.  
“I believe the evening has perhaps been a little too taxing on our guest.” He explained to those around him, carrying Steve back to his chambers. He gently placed him down on the seat which was serving as the captain’s bed. He reached to undo his armour, then thought better of it, and instead simply layered a fur over him to keep him warm.

He shook his head fondly, stroking Steve’s hair back from his forehead, and then heading to bed, whistling to call Onyx up to lie beside him.


	5. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve has a bath, and Loki goes for a walk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minor warnings for nudity in this chapter, which makes one character feel uncomfortable. No harm comes to anyone. 
> 
> Trying new formatting this chapter - please let me know what you prefer!

Steve woke to the weight of a fur over him, and a slight ache in his head. He lay still, reminding himself of where he was, who he was with. He could recall the previous night, and reached to check he was still wearing the armour he had fallen asleep in. That, at least, was unchanged, and he tried to lay still for a little longer, to take a few more minutes of rest before he was forced to act.

There was a soft noise, almost at the edge of his hearing, and he tried to place it. Someone turning pages. He thought of days in the Tower, Bruce with his nose buried in a book as chaos happened around him and smiled, opening his eyes.

Thor was sat beside him, Steve's sketchbook open on his lap. He was flicking through the pages, examining the images from different angles, and ice ran through Steve's veins, freezing him in place. It took Thor a moment to realise that he was being stared at but when he did he smiled, then hesitated when he saw the hurt on Steve's face.

"I am sorry Steve, I was simply admiring your drawings. They are wonderful, you should be most proud."

"They're mine." Steve muttered, anger welling up in his chest at the thought of Thor looking through his things, picking out his most precious belonging and subjecting it to such scrutiny. Thor handed the sketchbook back quietly, and Steve hugged it to his chest. He was being foolish, making a fuss over nothing, and yet he felt too embarrassed to stop. Thor simply moved back a little, permitting him some more space.

"I hope last night was not too taxing on you Captain."

"No." Steve muttered under his breath, before he looked at Thor properly and saw the faint traces of guilt in his eyes. He shook his head.

"It was better than I was expecting. Sif's very kind."

"The Lady Sif is a remarkable woman." Thor agreed. "But not the only one that I know. My mother is most remarkable also, and it is due to her that I can make good on the promise I gave you."

"Huh?"

"We shall be able to see the other two later today. Before dusk. Mother can conjure my brother and your friend here, in mind if not in body, and you will be able to converse, as can I."

"Thanks." Steve muttered, feeling a little ashamed of his earlier outburst.

"I am sure that your friend shall be truly glad to see you." Thor said softly, his voice calming. "However... after last night, I know you were a little taxed. I am going to bathe now, and you shall accompany me."

For a moment, Steve stared at him with wide eyes.

"Um, what?"

"I am going to the baths. I do not believe you know where they are, and so I thought you should accompany me."

Steve shrugged slightly, getting to his feet, and Thor pulled out some clean clothes for him - not Asgardian armour this time, but instead a comfortable outfit of silks. It was too grand for Steve's taste, but he held onto it tightly - it was better than his current clothes, which made him feel like a trophy. He’d talk to Thor about wearing his own clothes when his headache stopped. Thor beamed, walking with him through the corridors, and stopping by one door to hand over his sword to an attendant.

"Here Steve."

Steve hadn't been sure what to expect when the words "Asgardian Baths" had been mentioned, but it wasn't this. The corridor opened up into a large hall, the ceiling thirty or forty feet from the ground, held up by pillars of ivory wrapped in vines of gold. There were large communal pools more like a swimming pool than any bath Steve had seen, with steam rising from them. The air smelt of flowers, and there were numerous people in the water, men and women laying there relaxing, and children splashing in shallow pools which rose only to their knees. From the central pillar, water poured as though from a fountain, and the steam billowed up from it.

Every single person there, other than the attendants, was naked. Steve clutched his clothes to him tighter, and shook his head.

"Thor, I can't..." He tried to explain. He'd showered with the commandos before, of course he had, but that had been different - they were allies, closer than blood. He was being asked to undress in a room full of the enemy, and it was taking far more strength than he would have liked to not simply turn tail and run.

Thor frowned.

"What is wrong?" He asked quietly. "There are no weapons here, no danger..."

"I can't..." Steve gestured out at the people, slowly realising that a number of the Asgardians had stopped what they were doing in order to turn and look at him. He nearly gagged, trying to force a smile onto his face.

Thor's frown deepened. 

"You do not feel comfortable being undressed in front of these people?"

Wordlessly, Steve nodded, still tense. Thor chuckled softly, reaching out to pat his arm. "You are a fine specimen of humanity Captain. But if it brings you such shame, there are private pools at the back of the hall, used for invalids. You may bathe there." Thor led him along, and Steve followed him, feeling almost dizzy with relief.

The pools that he was shown to were smaller but no less grand, ringed with the gold that was everywhere here. The water bubbled up from deep in the pool, flowing over the sides and along channels on the ground. An attendant stepped forward, and Thor sent her away with a shake of his head.

"Here Captain. I will be in the main pool Once you are refreshed, come and find me. You can leave your armour here, it will be cleaned and returned to us."

"Thanks." Steve muttered, the word fumbling from his mouth. It was hard to put into words how very thankful he was for the privacy he was being afforded. Once Thor was gone, he was left alone. He could still hear the laughter and talking from the main baths but he could not be seen. 

He stripped quickly, and then stepped into the water, shivering a little when he felt its warmth on his skin. It was a vaguely unpleasant sensation, warmer than he would have chosen, and the water was scented with plants he did not recognise. He cupped the water in his hands and raised it to his hair, then began to clean himself as best as he could. As he did so, he realised that he was thirsty, that he had not drunk since the mead the night before. He took another handful of the water, and tried a sip. It was almost sickly, cloying at his mouth, but he still drank what he had in his hand, before finishing washing and stepping out.

He looked around the room, and his eyes were drawn to a soft towel that had been left by the attendant. He picked it up and dried himself as fast as he could, pulling on his new clothes and examining himself in one of the reflective walls, before picking up the armour Thor had dressed him in the previous night. He felt cleaner now, and he stretched a little, then headed out through the break in the wall, back to the main bathing area. The attendant stepped back in once he had departed.

It took a few moments for him to identify Thor among the sea of Asgardians, holding court with a bright smile on his face and lively gestures. Steve tried to catch his eye, and was rewarded a moment later when Thor waved at him, before standing from the pool and heading to dry and dress himself.

Steve waited in the corner, armour against his chest until the Prince approached and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Do you feel more comfortable now?"

Wordlessly, Steve nodded, and Thor led him along more corridors.

"Now, we may see my lady mother. She shall be waiting for us." He pushed open the door, and dropped down to one knee. "Mother."

"Thor..." There was a fondness to the woman's voice, and she reached out to raise him to his feet. "It is good to see you, and the Captain."

Steve inclined his head in an awkward half bow, and she laughed softly.

"You can relax Captain... You will come to no harm here."

***

"I'm beginning to regret fixing your arm." Loki murmured, twisting uncomfortably as Tony fastened the clothing tightly across his chest, and then brought out a thin strip of fabric which he wound around his neck and knotted intricately. "Do you mortals truly choose to wear this... this..." Loki hesitated, glancing down at himself. "Abomination?"

"It's a suit. And yes, we do." Tony answered, smiling slightly. "If I'm going to go out in public with you, we need you looking smart, the cameras will be watching. And I'm not putting up with you moping around in the tower permanently. You're already off your food."

Loki hesitated.

"I am only declining food because you seem to provide so much of it. Every few hours you bring more." He glanced at himself in the mirror, now that Tony had stopped playing about with that stupid tie, and was actually rather impressed by what he saw. He looked handsome enough. Mortal clothes suited him in a way, gave him a sense of refinement and elegance that was quite different from that possessed by the clothing of Asgard. For now, at least, it would do.

"So we leave?"

"We leave, and we go for a walk in the park. Jarvis mentioned you seem uncomfortable with the decor, I thought a chance to be in nature might be good for you. Afterwards, we will see if we can find some more casual clothes that you like. Then can come back here, and you can change into your ... whatever that is." Tony pointed one hand out towards the Asgardian regalia Loki had been wearing previously.

"I am a prince of Asgard. It is the clothing expected of me." Loki muttered, rolling his eyes at the idiocy of his captor. Still, the idea of going out for a short while sounded good, and it was enough to motivate him to stand still whilst Tony finished dressing him.

The park was strange - it was like a small forest, or a garden, but was hemmed in at all sides by roads and noise, buildings of metal and glass that rose up to the sky, ugly scars around the beauty of nature. It unsettled Loki almost as much as it relieved him.

Tony stayed close to his side as he walked around, never overtaking or leading, allowing Loki to decide where to go. Loki was grateful for that at least, for the small kindnesses that the mortal was willing to show him. He walked for a short while, until Tony reached out to take his hand. Tony’s other hand was cupping his own ear strangely and he appeared to be listening to something.

"We should go back." Tony told him, and reluctantly Loki turned to face the largest and ugliest building of the lot. He didn't question it, just walked back the way that he was told. 

Tony wasn't happy with the silence. Loki was unsurprised - he was already learning that Tony liked noise, at all times if possible, Silence bothered him more than he could say, and often he had that horrible music blasting out at the strangest times for company.

"Loki, we're going back because Jarvis just got a message from Steve." 

Loki nodded, unsure what other response he was meant to give. Tony smiled.

"Your mother can apparently enable us to visit them shortly."

Those words, at least, were enough to make Loki hurry along towards the tower, Tony keeping pace. As soon as they were in through the door, a strange blue image of his brother appeared, playing his invitation. In the background, Steve was visible, waving slightly. Thor wasn't quite in shot, as though he was holding the device awkwardly without understanding how it worked, and that made Loki smile slightly, feeling fond for a moment.

Tony pushed a few buttons, and an image of the Captain appeared.

"Hello Tony."

"Hey Steve." Tony greeted him. "We're both home. So how do we do this?"

"Apparently you need to sit down somewhere comfortable so you won't get injured." Steve explained. Loki allowed himself to sit, not because he needed the protection but because it stopped a meaningless argument with Tony from happening.

"Done." Tony said, sounding almost bored.

"Great." Steve smiled. "She says just to wait a few moments."

Soon the air began to hum, a familiar warmth wrapping around Loki and gently guiding him home as he sagged against the sofa.


	6. Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor, Loki, Steve and Tony are reunited for a short while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to ShadowHaloedAngel for the beta, and her unending patience with me.
> 
> Slight trigger warning for food related issues in this chapter - if it's a problem for you please read with caution.

Thor smiled over at Steve, who had bowed smartly, and then took his hand, guiding him away from his bow, to sit on one of the golden couches around the room. Steve took his position beside Thor, and Frigga began her work, her eyes closed and hands moving as she carefully summoned up the power to transport the souls of Loki and his captor to Asgard, to her quarters.

Thor had no talent for magic himself, and was always fascinated to witness his mother's work, the ease with which she conjured and spun the threads between her fingers. There was a beauty to it, and he was utterly in awe of her. As she continued, his brother's form appeared, and Thor got to his feet to embrace him gently.

Loki returned the embrace and Thor held him against his chest, stroking his fingers through the ebony hair and relaxing a little.  
"Brother..." He cuddled him close, pressing a tender kiss to his forehead, and then laughing as his mother also drew Loki into an embrace, joy on her face as well. Loki was smiling and for a moment Thor could let himself relax, forgetting all his fears for his brother. Loki seemed peaceful, and that eased his heart.

"Brother, are you well?"

"I am fine." Loki told him. "I have been treated with kindness, please do not worry yourself...."

Thor nodded.  
"And you are cared for?"

"Well. They are so worried about me going hungry that they provide food for me every few hours... I do not know what kind of fragile child they believe me to be, but.... Midgard is a strange place, but it is not as bad as I feared." Loki answered, looking into Thor's eyes. "Please do not allow it to bother you. I am being treated better than I had hoped, and I see images of you."

"I dream of our time together as children also brother." Thor agreed, and Loki opened his mouth, frowning, then closing it once more. "I do hope our mother can bring us together soon, and allow me to see you more frequently."

"I hope so." Loki agreed, squeezing his hand, before glancing over at the others. Thor followed Loki's gaze, his forehead creasing a little as he saw that the Iron Man and Steve were talking quietly. The Iron Man seemed angry, and there was no sign of the gentleness that Loki had spoken of. Thor wanted to confront them, but was too wary of the repercussions. As a younger man, before the war with Midgard, he would have immediately challenged anyone who concerned him. But now he decided not to speak, to focus on Loki for the short time that he had him.

He embraced Loki again, and petted his hair.  
"I hope that you have been happy... Is there anything that I need to bring for you? Anything that would make your life easier?"

"A few books perhaps and maybe some more of my clothes. There is no rush for them, but I should like to have them before winter begins. It may be cold, and I do not wish to face that unless I have my furs."

"As you wish." Thor agreed. "I am sure that Mother would be happy to."

Frigga looked at them curiously, and Loki explained his predicament. Quickly she nodded.

"I shall send them tomorrow if you wish."

"A day or two more." Loki pleaded. "I need to ensure I have somewhere safe to store them, I should not like to have them taken from me."

"When you are ready then." Frigga answered, and Thor frowned. He wished he had the magic to contact his brother that came so easily to his mother, but he was not so gifted, and that was simply his life. He had strength beyond either of them, but no magic of his own. He glanced back to Steve, and relaxed to see that Steve seemed a little calmer. The man of iron still seemed unhappy. He wondered if this was linked to the bathroom incident before. He could ask Steve later. For now he wished to focus on Loki.

*** 

"How are you Steve?" Tony asked, looking at his friend and drawing him close. He wrapped his arms around him for a moment. "How have the aliens been treating you?"

Steve swallowed and smiled softly at him and nodded. 

"It's fine." Steve answered. "Honestly."

"They feeding you well?" Tony asked, frowning slightly when he saw the quiet resignation shining in Steve's eyes. That look on his friend's face was a cause for concern, a sign that not everything was right.

"They've treated me well. I have some beautiful clothes, my own bed." Steve reassured him, squeezing his hand gently. "Everything is going well. How are you and Loki getting on?"

"We're fine. I just let him get on with things, he has his own floor. Bruce and Loki have talked a couple of times, they seem to get on well. I've given him books..." Tony shrugged slightly. "Asgard has nothing to complain about. Now, Rogers, stop skipping around the edges of my question. What have they been feeding you?"

"There was a feast a couple of days ago to celebrate the end of the war... the most amazing meats from animals I had never dreamed of. And wine, and all kinds of fruits and pastries, sugared fruits...." Steve hesitated before continuing to list what he had been eating at the feast.

Tony frowned, working out what it was that was between the words.  
"A couple of days ago?" Suddenly all of Loki's complaints about being fed too frequently were no longer cute, or confusing. It was a sign that the Asgardian delegation had been deliberately denying Steve food, and it made Tony furious. He glared, nearly baring his teeth at Steve.

Steve raised his hands in an attempt to placate him.  
"No... it... I mean, it's not that he's been eating without me. They just eat differently from us. And I'm not going to starve, not with the serum."

"I'll bring food for you next time." Tony promised, his stomach twisting and making him feel violently sick. The Asgardians hadn't even considered how much food Steve might need. He hadn't considered anything for Loki either, what he needed. He should have done better than that. "I'll bring loads of food that you can store, next chance that I get, I promise you that."

"Thank you." Steve smiled at him, looking down at him awkwardly. "It's very kind of you."

"I'm not going to let you starve." Tony answered with a frown. "You need to eat, and if these idiots don't realise..."  
Steve gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"You must go back." The Asgardian queen, Frigga he thought her name was, spoke up. "I hear my husband's approach, and he must not find you here." For a moment, she embraced Loki, and then the Asgardian hostage returned to Tony's side. 

Tony looked at him coldly, and put a hand on his shoulder.   
"Time to go home."

Around them, the world faded, and Tony found himself once more on the sofa. Loki was beside him, smiling at him softly.

"That was really good. Did you have a good time with your friend? It was wonderful to see Thor once more, thank you." Loki said softly, looking over at him.

That made Tony's blood boil. He didn't have a good time. He found out that Steve was starving because Asgardians hadn't thought of considering the diet that was necessary for the other man. He turned away coldly, walking down to the workshop. He would spend several hours working on his latest engineering project, and when it was finished then maybe he would feel ready to talk to Loki again. 

He reached the first step by the time Loki caught up with him, pressing a hand on his arm.

"Tony?" The prince asked, his voice shaking a little, sounding almost cautious.

Tony turned and glared.

"No." He hissed. "We are not dealing with this right now Loki. I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to talk about Asgard."

"I just thought we should make the best of the situation." Loki protested.

"I hate this situation. It's fucked up." Tony answered, his voice raising. "I never wanted you here. I never wanted Steve to be with your family, especially as apparently you can't even be bothered to feed him properly."

"What?" Loki asked.

"Just go away." Tony shouted. "Right now, I don't want to have to deal with you." He hurried down to the workshop, slamming the door behind him and brushing his fingers over his forehead, trying to brush away the headache which was threatening.


	7. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki decides to leave, and Thor and Steve have an important discussion.

Loki didn't need to be told twice. If Stark didn't want him here, was going to lash out at him for no reason, then he refused to remain. He was a prince of Asgard, and whilst he might have been traded to the enemy in return for peace, that didn't mean that he was just going to surrender, that he would sit there and take whatever abuse it was that Stark wished to throw at him. 

He turned and walked out of the room, making his way down the stairs and towards the door. He expected at any moment for obstacles to appear in his path, for gates to block his way or walls to hem in him. He did not doubt that the machine which controlled this place could do that. But no walls appeared.

He reached the doorway before anything happened, and what happened was a question, not a trap.  
"Are you sure you should be leaving?" Jarvis asked. 

Loki bit down his initial urge to shudder at the disembodied voice, and nodded.  
"He told me to go away. I am simply listening to his instructions."

"I do not believe sir meant that..." Jarvis attempted to explain, but a moment later he fell silent and opened the final door, releasing Loki out into the outside world. 

Loki took deep breaths of the air here. He could taste the pollution in it, feel the chill of the breeze on his skin. After everything, it was strangely reassuring to find himself back somewhere familiar. The buildings might have been different from Asgard, but not so much so that he was a stranger here.

He had to stay on earth to keep the treaty intact. Technically, he had to remain with Stark, but as he was following exact instructions when he left, he tried to tell himself that he wasn't destroying the contract. He was merely listening to what Stark had asked of him. It was perfectly reasonable for a host to ask their hostage to leave.

He hurried down alleys and side streets, glancing back occasionally to see the hulking form of Stark Tower in the distance. No matter where he wandered, he couldn't escape its glare.

He walked on for several hours, barely noticing as the city turned dark around him, electric lights replacing the warm glow of the sun. He had wandered a long way from the tower, and was finally at a distance where it blended in with the other skyscrapers peppering the city. 

A stranger approached, and Loki tensed, noticing how the man was weaving. He could smell the alcohol on him, and he was ready to fight. The man just nodded at him and walked past. Loki stored that moment away as a piece of information to analyse later.

He was still thinking about the strangeness of human nature when a different man grabbed him, sweeping his feet out from under him and sending him crashing to the floor.

"Give me your phone and your wallet." The man demanded, and Loki nearly laughed. He stretched his fingers, preparing to create a fireball to engulf him. No spark appeared in his hands.

Loki tried again, but nothing happened, and a boot pressed his forehead down onto the pavement.

"Phone and wallet."

"I don't have them." Loki insisted. "You can check. I don't have them." 

He felt hands quickly checking his pockets before he was left alone with a final kick to the head making his vision swim. 

He curled up, drawing his knees up to his chest and closing his eyes. His head ached from where he had been kicked, and he felt dizzy. He wasn't meant to be here at all. It began to dawn on him just how badly he had broken the rules, and what the consequences of his disobedience might be. If he had managed to ruin the negotiations, then war could break out once more. He could cost hundreds of Asgardian and Human lives, all because he got annoyed at Stark. Stark might have been frustrating but this cost was too high. He swallowed again, trying to fight down the feeling of sickness in his stomach. He would be able to get home, he knew that. He was intelligent.

His head hurt. He closed his eyes for a little longer, then stood, making his way into an alleyway and hiding amongst the clutter. It might not have been regal but it would give him a chance to recover from what had happened. Then he would have to return to his golden cage and try to repair everything.

*** 

Steve sat on his own on the window seat, gazing out at the sprawling luxury of Asgard. Decadent golden spires reached out towards the sky, glittering in the evening light. He sketched them on the page in front of him, trying to get down the key images that he could see. He hoped to show Tony the next time that they met up, so that he could prove to him he wasn't being badly treated.

Tony had been more bothered by the lack of food than Steve had expected. He was hungry, which brought with it its own problems, but he wasn't near death. He could only assume that if it ever truly got down to the wire, he would ask for more. Until then, it was more bother than it was worth.

He was startled from his thoughts by Thor's large form coming to sit beside him on the bench, one hand reaching for his sketchbook. Steve hesitated before relinquishing his grip, and the prince stared down at his work in silence. Moments ticked on before Thor smiled.

"It is a beautiful image Captain. You are truly talented."

Steve felt himself blushing in spite of himself, and murmured demurely, glancing up at Thor.

The prince seemed troubled. His forehead was creased by a frown, and his hands were restless He opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it once more. Steve watched this charade repeat itself a few times before he brought himself to speak.

"Is something wrong?" Steve asked.

The silence stretched out between them for so long that he began to think that Thor hadn't heard him, until the man gave a soft sigh and began to speak.

"Captain, I must ask... are you hungry? I did not mean to eavesdrop on the man of iron, but I heard a little of what he said, and it bothers me that I could have been so remiss in my duties to you."

"A little." Steve agreed, fighting down the urge to promise everything was alright in order to make life easier.

"Why?" Thor demanded, sounding curious but also petulant. "You ate heartily at the feast."

"I ate when I could, but humans... we tend to eat two or three times a day. My body processes food so fast that I normally eat five or six times..." He ducked his head. 

Steve felt almost ill with confusion, wondering if he should have spoken earlier, should have explained and taken responsibility before things got out of control, but he was ashamed. Thor had been good to him, and this felt like he was betraying his kindness.

Thor nodded slowly, getting to his feet and walking away. Steve sat there in silence, picking up his tablet and calling up the app that enabled him to contact Tony. 'Thor's realised I haven't been eating enough'. He pushed send, and a moment later Thor reappeared in the doorway, holding out a plate full of food. 

Steve smiled brightly at him, tapping out a quick message. "He's given me some food." He hit send once more, then started to eat. 

Thor looked almost shy as he smiled at him.

"Thank you." Steve muttered around a mouth full of a rich and succulent fruit which made his mood lift as hunger fell away. "These are wonderful."

"You are welcome Captain. My one regret is that I did not provide such sustenance to you earlier.

"Don’t let it bother you." Steve murmured, patting the space on the chair beside him. Thor hesitated only for a moment before he sat down, watching Steve working.

Steve sent him a bright smile, flicking to an empty page and starting to sketch out Thor's form.  
"Can you stay there for a little while? I’d like to draw you."

"As you wish Captain." Thor beamed and made himself comfortable.

 

*** 

Loki stayed curled up in the shadows of the alleyway, trying to order his thoughts. Even without his powers he was a prince of Asgard, and he knew the most important thing was the survival of the treaty. He had to go back. Reluctantly, he got to his feet and started to head from the alleyway. His head hurt from the blow, and he was so distracted that he didn't realise men were encircling him. He got into position, bracing himself for a fight.


	8. Apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony realises that maybe leaving Loki unsupervised wasn't the best plan, and Thor tries to make amends.

Tony rubbed his forehead angrily, trying to ignore the fury that was bubbling up inside of him. Logically, he knew that it wasn't Loki's fault that Steve hadn't been fed. But it was hard to be logical when he was concerned about his friend starving.

"Sir." Jarvis's crisp voice cut through the air, and Tony looked up sharply, wondering what was wrong. "Loki is attempting to leave the building."

"Let him." Tony muttered, reaching out to play with a design on the screen in front of him. He couldn't face dealing with Loki right now. When he'd calmed down, maybe they could talk, but at this moment in time he was too full of anger to talk to him fairly, and he was worried he would end up lashing out and hurting him, which was the last thing that he wanted to do.

"Sir?" Jarvis queried, and Tony could hear the irritation in the AI's voice.

"I never wanted to keep him trapped here forever. Look, if he wants to explore, let him. If he doesn't come back for a few days, then we can start worrying, but for now let’s just let him get on with it."

There was silence from the AI, but Tony couldn't shake the certainty that Jarvis was being disapproving. The AI did that fairly often, and by now Tony was used to it. He was certain he had never programmed Jarvis to be judgemental. He seemed to have learned how to do that all by himself.

He continued to focus on his engineering, working on an upgrade to the repulsor system so that it would be more effective in his heavier suits of armour - he had a system he trusted in place for the smaller suits, but as his designs became ambitious some of them required more advanced repulsors to ensure sustained flight, and he would much rather have only had the four he had on the smaller suits. 

There was a beep.

"Message from Captain Rogers sir." Jarvis informed him. Tony nodded grimly, opening up the message and then relaxing as he saw the contents inside.

It said "He's given me some food." Steve wouldn't be going hungry anymore, because apparently the Asgardians had finally started to realise that humans couldn't live on one large meal every few days. 

"Good." He replied, before getting to work on the repulsors, opening one up so that he could look at the insides and get it working better. He focused on that, the hours ticking away quickly as he aimed all of his concentration on the small device on the desk in front of him.

"Sir." Jarvis interrupted. "You need to have dinner."

Tony waved his hand, temporarily muting Jarvis so that he could concentrate. He would eat dinner once he was finished with the work he was doing, and not before. It shouldn't take long, the thrust had already been increased by 39% with a relatively simple adjustment. It would mean that he would struggle to sustain flight, but a short and stable flight seemed preferable to a longer one that at any moment could send him to crashing on the ground.

"SIR." Jarvis's voice finally reached him, far louder now than before and sounding quite irate. 

"What is it J?"

"As I have been attempting to tell you Sir, Loki was attacked and suffered a mild concussion. Whilst he appears to have recovered from that, he was startled and hid in an alleyway, which now..." An image flickered to life in front of Tony's eyes. "He now has company."

Tony swore under his breath, grabbing his bracelets and standing so that his suit could wrap around him.

"I want that projection visible as you take me to his location Jarvis." He insisted, and Jarvis let out a soft noise of agreement.

"As you wish sir." The images appeared on the HUD screen in front of Tony's eyes, and he began to move towards Loki's location, watching in mild horror as Loki was surrounded by a group of six men. They surged forwards as one, staggering slightly from drink, and Loki was able to knock two of them to the ground before one managed to land a good punch.

Loki was fighting like a wildcat, but without his powers he was not strong enough to overpower them, and was slowly losing the battle. He fell to the floor, and was kicked hard in the ribs. The Asgardian screamed out in pain, shuddering.

Tony landed in front of him, still in his suit, and raised both his hands. The men scarpered away, and Loki looked up at him warily.

"You did not need to come."

"I wanted to check up on you. Come on, let’s get you home."

Loki glared for a moment, but made his way over to Tony. He was staggering, and would clearly struggle to walk home. Awkwardly, Tony wrapped his arms around him before they became airborne, soaring towards the tower. 

Tony landed carefully on the roof platform and released Loki, who quickly moved away from him, glaring.

"I did not think you wished for my companionship anymore."

"I'm ... look, I was in shock okay?" Tony tried to explain. "Steve was hungry thanks to your idiot of a brother, and I didn't want to deal with you. That was all."

Loki nodded his head once, gaze still cold, and Tony shrugged.  
"Go and shower, I'll see if Bruce can check you over, deal?"

Loki mirrored Tony’s shrug, pausing for a moment before he nodded.

***

Once Thor had realised the reason for the Captain's discomfort, he had gone to the kitchens, fetching a plate of foods that he had noticed that the Captain had eaten with particular relish during the feast. 

Steve seemed happy with the offering, eating it eagerly and smiling at him, muttering thanks. Thor tried to apologise, but Steve was having none of it - Thor wasn't sure if he should be grateful for the other man's patience, or feel guilt for accidentally starving such a good man. No lasting damage had been done, and when Steve asked for his company, Thor was happy to oblige, sitting down and posing for him.

He watched curiously as Steve turned to an empty page in his book. He had seen the Captain's drawings before, sneaking peeks when he got the opportunity, and had been impressed. They were not perfect renditions, but they were beautiful, and they caught the character of whatever subject he was drawing. As Steve picked up his pencil and started to sketch out a rough framework, Thor wondered what he would look like through the artist's eyes.

He had had portraits done before of course. They were tedious, but his mother had cherished it so dearly that it made up for the sheer inconvenience of having to stand for hours as a man tried to flatter him. This was different. Steve had a reason to draw him well, but he did not think that the Captain thought that little of him. He hoped that Steve knew he would not starve him in punishment for one unflattering picture, wanted to see how Steve really saw him.

The sketch that Steve created was beautiful. Thor's face on the page looked kindly, his eyes lined with crinkles that made him look more peaceful, more happy, than he had seen himself previously. There was a joy and a sparkle there, and by the time Steve looked up from the image in satisfaction, Thor could not help reaching out to touch it.

"Careful." Steve warned, but he let Thor look, handing over the sketch. Thor turned it over in his large hands, before passing them back. As he did so, an idea occurred to him and he began to smile.

"Will you remain here a little while?" He asked, and Steve nodded. "Thank you." Thor said sincerely, getting to his feet and walking away. This time he did not return to the kitchen, but instead headed to one of the rooms that was set aside for the officials of his father's court. He made his way forwards to one of the scribes, clearing his throat and smiling as they hid the projection that they were working on and turned to face him.

"Is there anything that I may do for you my prince?" The scribe asked, his voice tinged with caution. 

"Indeed there is. If you would be so kind as to show me your finest artists’ materials, perhaps I could take some - I shall gladly pay for you to buy more, but I must have them now."

"As you wish." The scribe turned away, heading to a wall and running his hand along it. The metal slid open, and out came several shelves piled high with parchments and papers, pens and paints of all hues. "What is it that you require?"

"Simply something to bring joy to the Captain." Thor answered. "Some strong paper, and some pens... some ink perhaps? And a few charcoal sticks for sketching... whatever you think would be finest and of most use to one unused to Asgardian tools."

The scribe hesitated for a moment by a strange box that glowed slightly in the light, instead gathering up a selection of pencils and paints, and then some brushes of finest hair gathered from small tree-dwelling creatures in the realm of the dark elves. He placed all of them carefully in a wooden case, and bowed as he presented them to Thor alongside a simple sketch book.

"Anything more he wishes for, simply ask me for it."

"Thank you." Thor answered, inclining his head respectfully and walking away.

Steve was sat on the bed where he had left him, sketching on another page. As Thor returned, his head lifted up, and Thor sat beside him, holding out the large wooden box.  
"A gift."

Steve frowned, reaching for it and opening it cautiously, then gasping in delight at the treasures he found inside. Thor smiled fondly.

"I thought perhaps this could serve as an apology for my error."

In response, Steve turned and leaned in to embrace him tightly, murmuring gentle thanks.  
Thor chuckled, gently stroking Steve's hair.

"I hope that they are alright."

"Perfect." Steve answered with a smile, and Thor felt his heart rising with sheer joy. He smiled for a moment longer before releasing Steve. 

Steve looked up at him, then turned his attention back to the sketchbook, attempting to draw a couple of ideas with the new pencils. Satisfied, he put them to one side and glanced at Thor.  
"So what are we doing now?"

"I was going simply to visit some friends. Now, another time you would be welcome to accompany me, but I wonder if today you should rather accustom yourself to the new drawing materials... whichever you should wish."

"Thank you." Steve said softly, nodding. "I would rather spend some time sketching if that's alright. I'll meet your friends again soon."

"Show me what you do maybe?" Thor asked hopefully, before heading out to spend some time with his friends, drinking with them and listening to their latest escapades. Now that their time was not taken up by fighting with the men and women of Midgar, they were able to instead relax and visit the other realms, engaging in conquest and exploration rather than attrition.

It was late evening before Thor headed home, smiling a little to himself as he made his way back to his chambers. He stopped at the kitchens on the way home, knowing that Steve could well be hungry once more. He opened the door, finding the Captain sat where he had been left, a focused expression on his face.

Steve looked up as the door opened, smiling brightly.

"How are they?" Thor asked, indicating the art materials.

"Perfect." He answered quickly, handing over the sketchbook to demonstrate the drawings that he had done - an image of the room, another of Thor, and another still of Steve with his friends from Midgar.

"These look beautiful." He praised. "It's a little late now, but my friends do wish to see you at some point, to meet you and to spar with you perhaps, if you are willing for that."  
Steve nodded, and Thor stretched, heading over towards his bed and sorting out the necessary change of clothing. He undressed, then pulled on his dark sleeping pants, laying down on the bed and glancing over towards Steve, who was curling up on the window seat beneath the furs he had been given. He was smiling, and he looked peaceful.

Thor found himself watching as Steve made himself comfortable and then settled down beneath the blankets, glancing over towards him.  
"You know Captain?" Thor started, his voice soft until Steve lifted his head to look up at him.

"What is it?" Steve asked, twisting his head slightly to one side.

"I am glad of the fact that you shall stay here with me." Thor said, his voice surprisingly tender for the large Asgardian. "I enjoy your companionship far further than I had expected to." With that, he yawned and closed his eyes, but he glanced at the bed for a moment to see that Steve had a soft smile on his lips as he fell asleep.


	9. Whispers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor gets a visitor, and Steve gets some rest.

Steve had fallen asleep comfortably enough in his own bed. It was secure there, a reassurance he had not expected to find in this world. He felt safer now, and he had been able to eat, so that was definitely a positive thing. 

He wouldn't sleep for long. He naturally didn't need much sleep, and it wasn't the perfect situation. Being here, so far from what he had once known, made him feel uneasy. He slept lightly, and when there was movement he woke. At the noise of something rustling he opened his eyes and stretched slightly. He looked up to see a figure sat at the end of Thor's bed, watching the sleeping Prince silently.

Steve swallowed, not sure if he should go and investigate, or stay out of the way. This could be an Asgardian thing, but he had to assume that it wasn't. It seemed that Thor's safety was reliant on his actions. He leaned up, trying to see what was going on, without drawing attention to the fact that he was awake. 

It was Loki who was sat on the end of the bed, leaning down and looking at Thor, his lips twisted in a faint smile. 

Steve realised that Thor wasn't in danger, and he relaxed a little. Whatever was happening, it was best for him to just stay out of the way. The brothers needed to talk, Steve and Tony could always call. It was only fair that the other two got a chance to communicate as well.

There was little light in the room, and it took Steve a few moments to notice that there were bruises visible across Loki's body, on his arms and shoulders. Someone had lashed out and hurt him. Steve frowned. He didn't want to imagine it being Tony who had done that, but at the same time there was no other obvious solution. He shook his head. Tony would never hurt Loki. Whatever had happened, Tony would have been the one to protect Loki. Tony was brash and foolish, but never cruel

Loki leaned in closer to Thor, cuddling up against his brother, and it did not take long for Thor's eyes to slowly open, to look down at his brother and frown before drawing him close against his chest, one large hand stroking through Loki's hair. 

Steve gasped slightly as he noticed exactly how Thor's fingers seemed to disappear on touching the dark strands. It seemed that he had been wrong to believe that Loki was in the room. Steve turned his back, allowing them some time together, and tried not to listen when they spoke. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear, and regardless, they deserved some privacy.

*** 

"If he harmed you brother..." Thor's voice shook with concern, and he leaned in closer, fingers tracing over bruises. "I will end this peace myself."  
"It wasn't him." Loki murmured, glancing down. Coming here had been a mistake, and he knew that. 

He should never have bothered Thor with something like this. Thor was a natural protector, especially of his brother. This was too difficult for him to understand. But Loki had been lonely, on the human world, and he had performed this trick enough times that he could throw his mind where he wished.

His brother might not have been able to touch him, but the sight of him, the sound of his brother's voice, was enough to help. It took away some of the fear and pain that had been accompanying him over the past few days.

"What is it then?"  
"I was attacked." Loki chose his words carefully, as he always did. "The Man of Iron saved me, and he brought me back. He gave me food and water, and told me to get some rest. It was only once he left that I was able to venture my mind to you."  
"I see..." Thor nodded, and Loki moved to rest against his shoulder. "He did not harm you?"  
"He saved me." Loki muttered. There was some bitterness there. In a way this task would be far easier if Tony had not saved him, if he merely treated him as an enemy of the lowest order, someone to exterminate or treat with cruelty. Still, apparently that wasn't to be his lot. Instead he was caught in this strange truce with the other man.

"Alright. Is there anything I can do for you brother? If it is a weapon you require I can plead your case, see what I will be able to access."  
"No thank you." Loki said in reply. "I don't need one, not like that. I could gain any weaponry I wished from the Man of Iron's formidable armory. It is your company, rather than your assistance, which I seek."

"It is something I shall provide." Thor answered. Loki was aware of Thor glancing towards the Captain, and shook his head a little. He was certain that Thor had managed to complicate matters again. It was a talent of his brother's. "What assistance are you asking of me brother?" Thor prompted. 

Loki smiled at him sadly, gazing up at his brother.   
"Do not forget me brother, please... I worry that as you continue your life here..." He hesitated. "Mortal lives are brief. Just fractions of our own, and I fear... the Man of Iron is not young. When he is gone... I am worried the others will not treat me so well."  
"I will ensure that they do." Thor promised him. "Any problems that are caused, we will stop them. We will not let them harm you. You are a prince of Asgard, and no matter what happens, we will not let them take you from us. Hopefully, when the Man of Iron is dead, we will be able to bring you home.”

Loki nodded slowly. It was hard to reach his mind so far from his body, but it was necessary. He could not stay for long, but for now he had to do what he could for Thor.  
"If there is anything I can do for you brother..."  
"I am alright, but if your assistance is needed, I will try and tell you... I hope we shall be permitted to see each other soon." Thor smiled. "I know that our mother was delighted to have you visit. She will want to see you again, she loves you."

"Thank you." Loki smiled sadly. "I should go. The man of Iron has an artificial intelligence that monitors my wellbeing. I believe it is meant as a kindness, but if I stay too long he may raise alarms."  
"Alright." Thor nodded, closing his eyes. "Thank you."

Loki let himself fade from the room, returning to his own body, to his mind. When he opened his eyes, he was looking up once more at the plain ceiling of Stark Tower. He didn't like it here. He sighed softly, then sat up.  
"Thanks Jarvis, back here..." He was growing fond of the AI. At least Jarvis had managed to bring him back to the tower after earlier, and had apparently not raised the alarm now.

He hated that he was starting to see this as home, but for now, there was nowhere else for him to go. This mattered. This was what he had to endure, at least for now, for the peace. There were worse places and at least Thor seemed to be content.

*** 

Steve still had his back turned to the brothers, even as the sound stopped. Loki was gone, and he was just here, with Thor. He heard movement from behind him.  
"Captain?" Thor asked cautiously. "You are awake?"  
"Yeah. And I told you, it’s Steve." Steve rolled over towards him, stretching and rolling his shoulders before sitting up. "I thought for a moment that I saw..."  
"You saw Loki. He wished to visit me temporarily." Thor explained. He was smiling softly. "Can you come over here?"

Steve stood, making his way to him.


	10. Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki leaves the tower and Steve and Thor have an important conversation.

Steve seemed reluctant to approach, his eyes wide and hesitant, and Thor frowned. He was glad Loki seemed to be calming a little in his new situation. He hated what was happening, they all did, but the fact Stark had protected him provided a little reassurance. It wasn't much, but right now they had to accept it. He was grateful for that at least. Steve though didn't look happy, not even that reluctant happiness Loki had shown. He looked afraid. 

Thor reached out towards him, and for a moment Steve tensed before relaxing. Thor sighed, drawing Steve into his arms and pulling him against his chest, stroking his back softly and murmuring tenderly to him, trying to comfort him, to make him feel safer.  
"What is wrong?"

"What was bothering Loki? Why was he here? He looked.... he looked like he'd been hurt."   
"He had been. But the Man of Iron helped him... Loki came to see me, to let me know that things were alright. He is my brother, he worries for me at times, as I do for him. "  
"That's good." Steve smiled weakly, and Thor cuddled him close, frowning a little. He was worried about him right now. If this situation was hard for Loki, it must have been hard for Steve as well. Thor was trying to help him adjust, but he was suddenly worried he had been going about it all wrong.

***

Tony was standing in the doorway as Loki woke. Loki stretched, and Tony waved a hand in greeting, before walking over towards him.  
"How are you feeling?" Tony asked, looking at the bruises on Loki's face. A moment later, they had disappeared in a golden shimmer.

"I'm feeling a little better." Loki answered.   
"You saw him?" Tony asked, having been told by Jarvis that Loki had been absent mentally for a brief time.  
"I saw both of them." Loki said softly, giving no obvious show of surprise that Tony was aware of his departure. "They want us to visit again soon."  
"We can do that." Tony agreed. "I liked seeing them, and maybe this time they can visit here." He was hopeful that by doing that, he would be able to check on how Steve was. Have Jarvis run full analytic scans for a start, and go from there  
"I think that might be a good idea." Loki answered. "If we are stuck together like this, we are going to need to make the best of it. And it’s definitely your turn to worry about the food." He stretched, sitting up and smiling at Tony, indicating for Tony to sit down beside him.

"I think so, you’ll have to help with choosing food." Tony agreed. Loki looked more positive now than he had before. That was something. "Do you think that you can face going outside?"  
"What do you mean?" Loki asked.  
"Well, you have been staying inside for a long time Loki. Aside from... aside from when you went out on your own a couple of days back, you haven't been outside since you’ve got here. Do you want to go and explore?"  
"And do what?" Loki asked, with an eyebrow raised. "I doubt that you're going to have any particularly interesting entertainments out in Midgard. I'd rather remain here with my books."  
"Just for a little while?" Tony suggested. "If it's terrible, we don't need to try again, but you never know, you might actually like it." He whined slightly as he said it, busy on his tablet trying to plan out an itinerary for the day ahead.  
"We'll see." Loki nodded. "I suppose we can try it once."

"Thanks." Tony answered, before registering for the first time that Loki was still in Asgardian garb. "You want me to find you some more normal clothes or-"  
"I'm comfortable with what I'm wearing." Loki answered. "And if you aren't then perhaps you shouldn't try and persuade me to head outside with you."  
"I'm not ashamed." Tony said simply.

"Nor am I." Loki’s answer was cold, but he walked with Tony out of the house. For a second, it looked like the god might run, but after a moment he settled in beside Tony. Tony recognised the look of fear in his eyes, understood what he was thinking. This was what was happening now, and he would have to live through it and see what happened next.

Tony knew that Loki might have felt a little overwhelmed by too many people, so he had thought ahead and found a way of getting them somewhere quiet. He took Loki to a small cafe in the shadow of the tower, and indicating with a sweep of his hand the pile of dishes that were waiting for them.  
"Pick anything you'd like."  
"I don't even know what this food is." Loki pointed out, frowning at the plates in front of them.  
"Pizza. Burgers. Fries. We have some of this stuff at home. If you don't like it, those metal trays have a variety of Indian and Chinese food..."

Reluctantly, Loki began to pick at it, and Tony relaxed. He picked up a burger for himself, watching as Loki sampled the different types of food. It might have been what Bruce described as junk, but it tasted damn good. Judging by Loki’s expression, the Asgardian agreed.   
"We've got loads of different chocolates for dessert." Tony told him when he had sampled most of the food. "Because you seemed to like those."  
"This... this is good." Loki agreed, a little reluctant. "So was this your plan for today? Just some food?"  
"Thought maybe we could watch a film. I've booked a cinema trip for later, but don't worry, we've got our own private screen. No one is going to get in our way."

"Thank you." Loki answered. "So you are ashamed to be seen with me in public?"  
"No." Tony smiled. "I just want it to be quiet. If you'd rather go somewhere with more people, I'm sure I can arrange that."  
"No." Loki swallowed. "I don't want to spoil your plans." That excuse came too fast, but Tony refused to draw attention to it.

Tony nodded, and they finished their meal before heading to the cinema. The movie was good, something that involved far too much music and glitter, but which was close enough to the stories Loki had grown up with that he liked them. In the end, the credits rolled and he stretched, eating the last few crumbs of popcorn.

"Where now?" He asked Tony. Tony shrugged after a moment.  
"We could go back, or grab some drinks..."  
"What does Bruce do?" Loki asked, and Tony frowned at him for the interruption. After a moment, Loki decided to expand on what he was saying. "I mean, he said he's a healer but I haven't seen much... many healing materials that I recognise."  
"Speak to him." Tony remembered something about Loki being a healer. He had been blind, missing something that obvious. Loki was basically a doctor, and so was Bruce. They could work together. "We'll go home, and you can talk to him."

Reluctantly, Loki nodded, heading back with him and then heading through to Bruce's lab, Tony following. Loki knocked smartly and Bruce looked up.  
"Hey Tony. Hey Loki. You two alright?"  
"No." Loki answered quickly. "I want to know how you manage to be a healer with none of the materials I recognised."   
The words escaping Loki's mouth seemed to come as a shock to him, but Bruce smiled broadly, glancing to Tony and then nodding quickly.

"I'd be proud to teach you." Bruce answered. "Maybe you could help me when the team is hurting?"  
Tony frowned a little. After everything with Steve, the team was getting hit pretty badly. They'd lost one of their biggest hitters, and now they were struggling to keep fighting. Still, another doctor would be helpful.  
"I'd like that." Loki answered, and Tony tried to look on the brighter side. Maybe medical training would be better for Loki than spending all his time in the library on his own. 

"You could come with me tomorrow morning..." Bruce answered with a bright smile, and Tony nodded. He was glad. Loki deserved better than being cooped up, and Bruce was offering something more productive than just going out to eat random junk food.

*** 

"Captain?"  
"I've said you can call me Steve..." Steve pointed out, and Thor sighed softly.  
"I know." Thor answered, nodding. "But I want to get this right. I want to ask you something, and I want to do it properly." 

It took a moment for Steve to look calmer, to nod his head in acceptance, but he did so after a moment.   
"What is it Thor?"  
Thor frowned, leaning down so that he was looking into Steve's eyes, seeing himself reflected in them. He thought of Loki, of the bruises on his brother's form, of the fear that he had shown. He thought of Steve, so far away from his home, from the life that he knew. He had already nearly starved the man, and Steve deserved better.  
"Do you want me to try and find a way that you can be free again?" He asked softly.


	11. Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Steve make some important choices.

"Do you want me to try and find a way that you can be free again?"

The words echoed around Steve's mind, silencing him for a moment as he thought of what freedom would mean. It would be a chance to go home, to see his friends and defend the world he loved. It would be an opportunity to make things better, to improve his life and protect the world he loved. It would mean that once more he would be surrounded by things that had started to become familiar, and he wouldn't need to be frightened at every moment of making some terrible mistake which would cost his world dearly. He thought also of the deaths that had happened in the conflict before, and the way that his position was the only thing enforcing the fragile truce.

He swallowed, and looked up into Thor's eyes, seeing the compassion there.  
"I would like to. But I can't. There's been too much fighting, too many people dying. I'd do anything to keep my world safe, and if this is what it takes to stop the fights, then so be it. It's not a big price to pay, not overall, not for the lives of so many." He shrugged his shoulders slightly. "It's the right thing to do. But thank you."

Silence hung between them for a few seconds, before Thor reached out to gently brush some of Steve's hair from his face.  
"You are a brave man Captain. Steve. You would make your people proud."  
Steve leant against Thor's touch for a moment, before pulling away and looking him in the eye.  
"Thank you."  
"It is alright Captain. I do not want you to be trapped here... I will see what can be done. But I understand your concern, and I will not let Midgar and Asgard be brought back to the brink of war simply for your own wellbeing, even if I wish that it were something I could choose to do."

"Thank you." Steve hesitated, watching Thor closely. He could see the warrior in him now, but also the ruler, confident and assured in even a difficult situation such as this. He felt Asgard could do far worse in future than allowing this man to rule. There was a wisdom and a kindness to Thor's expression which almost made his heart ache. "Do you think I could draw a portrait of you? Perhaps we could give it to Loki..." Steve suggested, wanting the chance to look at Thor more closely, but also wanting to provide him with some comfort in any way that he could.

Thor nodded regally, and Steve turned aside to pick up the materials that Thor had brought for him. He spread them before him, and started to work on the image, trying to capture the man that he could begin to see. As the image grew under his fingertips, things started to fall into place.

***

Loki stood in front of Bruce, looking around the medical room that was set up for the team. He paused.  
"Do you not find that if your team is injured, it affects you emotionally?"  
"You mean I hulk out?" Bruce asked, then shook his head. "I can't, not when they are counting on me to help them. It's hard, seeing my friends hurt, but I know that the best I can do for them is to stay calm. If I'm already hulked out...well, the other guy knows that sometimes I have to give the team medical attention. And he likes them, especially Clint, so if they're hurt he lets me come back out. He knows what I'm good at."

"I see." Loki frowned, thinking of how backwards this technology was compared to what they had at home. Things that were fatal here could be aided simply enough with Asgardian technology, even with a subject as fragile as humans inevitably were.

"What do you want to see?"  
"Just some basic things. For a start, how do you replenish if there has been blood loss?"  
Bruce led him to a fridge at the back of the room, showing him bags of fluids and bloods, stocked and waiting for the team to need them.  
"No way to make the body replenish it fast enough, so we have to replace it." Bruce answered.   
"Oh." Loki frowned. "Our healers can help with that. They speed up the natural healing process, and can bring individuals back from the brink of death."  
"We make do." Bruce shrugged, and set about explaining more basic treatment.

Despite himself, Loki found himself enjoying the explanations, and relaxing as he realised Bruce was genuinely interested in what he had to say. As the day wore on he started to smile.  
"Father... weakened my powers as part of the agreement. To ensure I didn't pose too much of a threat to the Midgarians... It would not have been a well handled truce, were the hostage to kill those who took him prisoner..." Loki shrugged slightly, then smiled again. "But I still have some touch of healing, and a few tricks that could not cause harm that I was able to keep..."

"Oh?" Bruce asked, looking at him curiously. Loki smiled, raising his hands and allowing golden and silver sparks to rain down from his fingers, running the length of his hands in bright dots of light. Bruce brought his hands together to applaud, and Loki mirrored the action before opening his hands to reveal a brilliant emerald butterfly which spiralled up into the air, twisting and turning in front of him. He watched it closely for a few moments, before bringing his fingers apart. The butterfly scattered into the air, forming smaller butterflies which spun out in all directions before disappearing into nothingness, leaving only faint twists of smoke behind.

"That was incredible." Bruce said softly. "You're skilled."  
"Not as good as mother is." Loki answered. "But good enough, perhaps. My father never did appreciate my gifts."  
"Well, fathers can be dicks." Tony's voice from the doorway startled Loki. He had been too caught up in what he had been doing, and hadn't noticed that the engineer had approached and was standing in the doorway, watching him intently.

"That looked good to me."  
"Thank you." Loki answered, hearing no hint of sarcasm or cruelty in the words. He smiled to himself and shook his head. "I just was thanking Bruce for his hospitality."

"You could come to the clinic with me." Bruce suggested. "I mean, I know you don't like it here, so don't feel you have to... only if you wanted to, I mean..." His voice caught and he shrugged his shoulders.

"I would like that." Loki answered. "Thank you..."  
"Well, I'm glad you two are getting along." Tony answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "Good day? No one going to set fire to anyone else?"  
"We're good." Bruce reassured him. "Thank you."

"Alright." Tony sighed, then checked his phone as it beeped loudly. "Apparently we are needed. Loki, you going to be okay here?"  
"Yes, thank you. If I need anything, I can speak to Jarvis."  
"Okay." With that, Tony left - he had work to do that couldn't be postponed. Bruce followed a moment later.

Loki wandered around the medical room, reaching out to examine various tools and medicines, asking Jarvis for information about those Bruce hadn't covered. Only when he had examined every item in the room did he head back to the library, and rather than going to mythology he searched out some medical texts.


	12. Fights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Thor spar, while Tony tackles giant spiders without Steve's support.

Thor tried not to peek as the captain drew him. He had never had any patience for art himself, had always felt that it was a waste of time, but for some reason with Steve he felt differently. Not just because Steve's pictures were good - they were, but not remarkable. What he noticed instead was the way creating art brought Steve to life, gave him a joy he was otherwise lacking. That Steve was managing to survive in another world, so far from where he was born, was impressive. That the man was able to create items of beauty here, and enjoy it, was a sign of true strength.

Thor was enjoying every moment of seeing Steve so happy, seeing the way the man glanced between the page before him and Thor himself, frowning a little occasionally but otherwise smiling. He watched him building up the images, working out how to fit each line together, seemingly at peace. 

He had never studied Steve for so long, and looking at him he could see the lines of a warrior in his frame, and the pain of battle in his eyes. He wondered how he had missed for so long that Steve was a fighter, like he was. His heart raced, and he tried to keep his face impassive, not wanting to ruin Steve's drawing. 

Eventually the image was finished, and it was turned around to face him. Thor gazed in wonder at his own face staring back, startled by the accuracy of it, of the beauty. He chuckled slightly, and at Steve's glance he tapped on the page. "I do not normally see myself so closely, nor indeed from this angle."  
"I...suppose not." Steve said with a smile. "You like it though?"  
"Indeed. It is truly wonderful, and I believe that Loki will truly appreciate it. I only hope that you will have an opportunity to draw him as well."  
"If I get the chance then I will." Steve promised, and Thor chuckled softly.

"You are most kind. And yet I wish to extend a kindness to you, if I may. Would you wish to spar with me? I promise you I shall treat you with kindness and fight you as my equal."  
"You don't need to go easy on me." Steve answered, his chin up. "I can fight."  
"I am sure you can. I just wanted to reassure you I would not push you too far. I know that mortals are not as strong as us."  
"Alright." Steve said after a pause, and he was smiling. "But I might surprise you."  
"I'm sure you will." Thor answered. "I look forwards to it."

It turned out that Steve had been right. Once they made their way to the practice arena, Steve seemed to relax, stretching and smiling to himself. He looked stronger than he had for a long time, bouncing almost where he stood.  
"You are excited?"  
"I missed the chance to fight." Steve answered.   
"Perhaps we shall fight together more often." Thor offered. "Even side by side in battle, if you wish."  
"Not against my people."  
"No. Not against your people, and only at times of your choosing." Thor promised, stretching in turn before stepping forwards into the golden ring. Steve seemed captivated for a moment by the patterns on the floor, watching the way they twisted and turned before he met Thor's eyes and nodded once.  
"Go easy on me if you want. But I won't go easy on you."

Thor chuckled, smiling at his spirit, and moved into position. Steve launched himself at him.

There was no finesse in Steve's technique. Thor had been trained by Asgard’s finest, but Steve fought as though he had received no training at all. But he fought none the less, a mass of elbows and fists, punching and blocking and attacking. He moved eagerly, and Thor was impressed - it was quite different from the style he was used to, and therefore a challenge to meet.

He launched forwards, knocking Steve over onto the ground and holding him there, panting and grinning triumphantly. Steve simply smirked, twisting and rolling the two of them. With his mortal strength, he had no chance of holding him down, but for a few moments they lay together before Thor stood, Steve still holding onto him. Steve jumped away and Thor followed him, movements a graceful contrast to Steve's shapeless strength.

Thor was aware that the Captain was used to fighting with a shield, but the lack of the weapon did not seem to weaken him or slow his fighting. If anything he seemed more energetic, enjoying the chance to test himself.

Thor carried on, slowly using more of his strength as it became clear to him that Steve could take it. They were sparring properly now, as he would with the Lady Sif or his other friends, and Steve was almost laughing, his joy written across his face. Thor grinned, launching forwards once more but Steve raised a hand, and Thor stood still.  
"Got to get my breath back." He admitted, taking a few deep breaths and then standing upright once more. "Okay. Ready?"  
"I think perhaps we should have some water." Thor answered. "I have come to realise I am quite tired. You are truly a worthy opponent Steve."  
"Thank you." Steve murmured, following Thor to the side where crystal clear water flowed from the wall. Thor filled a golden goblet from it and drank, relishing the fresh taste and moving aside so that Steve could do the same.

"Perhaps I would be permitted to have some armour made for you?" He said, and Steve frowned.  
"Huh?"  
"That way you would be able to accompany me if you wished. It would be an honour, and I would ensure you had a say in its design. If you did not wish to however, I understand."  
"I'd like that." Steve answered, filling his glass once more. Thor smiled at him fondly, and began to make plans.

***

Tony found that he missed Steve sometimes. They might not have got along well to start with, but as the war with Asgard had dragged on, he had found himself becoming closer to the soldier, and now regarded him as a close friend. The quiet magician that had come in his stead was in so many ways the antithesis of Steve that it was almost painful at times for Tony to be civil to him. Most of all though, he missed Steve when battles were raging, when he was deep in a fight and no longer had the super human soldier at his back.

This fight was one of the times that he desperately needed Steve. They were outnumbered by giant spiders of all things, tarantulas as big as Hulk scurrying through the streets. They had vicious pointed hairs on their back, which they were able to send flying out at opponents like razor-edged missiles, and they were angry. Steve would have been really useful right about now.

Tony soared up to the nearest one, hitting it in the face with a repulsor blast. As it fell back from the building it had been clambering on he continued shooting, targeting its face and legs. Once it was on the ground, he landed on it, and then soared up into the air again.  
"Another one down." He called over comms, circling off to see how Natasha was getting on. He was sure she could hold her own against them, but still wanted confirmation that she was alright, aware she had been tackling a particularly large group.  
"Check in?" He called.  
"Hulk!"  
"Widow on fourth. I'm fine."  
"Barton, low on arrows."  
"Got it. I'll bring you more arrows Clint, just hold out. It won't be long." He raced to one of their depots, gathering more of the missiles and then returning to where Barton was. He completed the drop before something knocked him from the sky.

Burning agony soared through him as he fell onto the ground, screaming out in pain at the fiery sensation which flooded through him. His back felt like it had been ripped in two, the metal of his armour bent in around his wound. He kept shouting out, and barely registered as Hulk loomed into his vision, picking him up with surprising tenderness.  
"Tower." Hulk told him, and began the slow process of carrying him back as the battle raged on with only Clint and Natasha left to fight. Tony tried to tell Hulk to wait, to leave him and help the others, but Hulk wouldn't hear of it. Only once Tony was inside did Hulk turn and head back to the fighting, leaving Tony lying alone in the reception of his tower. He licked his lips and tried to call for help.


	13. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki finds himself alone, trying to help Tony whilst Steve struggles with the fact he is powerless.

"I am sorry but I must go, I did promise my friends my company. It will not be so long until I shall return." Thor promised, reaching out to squeeze Steve's hand. "Will you be alright returning to our chambers alone?"

Steve stared at him for a moment and nodded.  
"I know the way."   
There was a hint of amusement on Thor's face, but he nodded his agreement and Steve waved him off.

Gazing at the prince's retreating form, Steve found his mind full of thoughts that he was unsure how to handle. Early on in this situation, where Asgard had simply been something to endure, things had been easy. He had survived, day by day, and then he had gone to sleep and woken up the next day to endure again. Life had been simple at that time if not easy, but now things were getting far more complicated.

Thor was a kind man, and a generous prince. He wasn't an artist, but he liked Steve's work, and he was beginning to show respect to him as a warrior. It was familiar here now, and he thought that if he left, he might miss the golden hallways and strange foods. It wasn't that he didn't want to go home. He longed to go home, just knew that he would miss this place if he had been able to return.

He needed to speak to Tony. Tony would help him to organise his thoughts, and give him some advice. Tony was not the voice of reason, but he was someone Steve could trust. Steve smiled as he reached his room and fished his tablet out from within his case. He sat cross legged on his bed, turning it on and waiting for Tony to answer. 

He tried to work out how he could put his problem into words. He just had to hope that he would manage to organise his thoughts into words somehow. Tony knew about these things. He had to believe it would work out.

The echoing noise of the call reverberated around the room, and Steve sighed. If Tony was busy he could leave a message with Jarvis of course, but he'd been hoping to speak to his friend. Just as he was about to give up hope, the screen flickered to life.

It was Natasha who was holding it, a graze visible on her cheekbone and her lip split. She looked tired, and Steve felt a pang of guilt for not being there to help in whatever battle they had been fighting.  
"Hello Agent Romanoff."  
"Captain Rogers." She answered, but she didn't smile at him, her face far more severe than before. "Tony's been hurt. We were fighting, and he got hit. He's getting treatment now." 

Steve nodded, hands gripping the tablet tight as he tried to hide the guilt that he was feeling. He should have been there. He should be on earth, where he belonged, fighting alongside those he cared about, not daydreaming about remaining here. He swallowed down the guilt.  
"How bad is it?"  
"He collapsed out of the air, and his suit was bent - it was mainly the metal that injured him." Natasha answered. "I've got to go, Clint's injured his arm."  
"Keep in touch." Steve told her, easily slipping back into his role of commander. She paused only a moment before smiling at him, her expression softening for a moment.  
"I will." She promised, and Steve let out a breath he hadn't realised he had been holding. The image on the screen faded away, and Steve placed the tablet down before getting to his feet. He wanted to move, needed to get some of the anger that was surging inside of him out productively. After a minute with that anger only building inside him he headed towards the gym where he and Thor had sparred earlier. He had to put this energy somewhere or the thoughts inside his head would get far too loud.

***

Loki was sat in the library, medical books spread out on the floor in front of him. No one else used this space, so he felt that he was entitled to use it however he felt was best. For now, that was enabling him to understand what he wanted to, reading different texts - seeing how far the medicine here had advanced, and what areas it had yet to progress on.

The idea of transplantation had been progressing well, but the simple fighting of infection left a large deal to be desired. The surgeries, whilst not carried out in the efficient way he was used to, were still of impressive quality. He was deep in thought of that when he became aware of faint noises.

"Loki?" Jarvis asked, and Loki glanced up. Jarvis never normally addressed him.  
"Yes?"   
"I need you to head to the lobby. Sir is there, and he has been severely injured. Doctor Banner is currently engaged in preventing further casualties and due to the ongoing incident progress towards the tower by the emergency services is blocked. Therefore I need you to treat Sir now."

Loki got to his feet, not even bothering to mark the page he was on.  
"The main lobby?"  
"Indeed." Jarvis replied, and Loki was racing down the corridor the second he had confirmation. He had decided already that he couldn't let Stark die, not when he had been being better, not when they needed to keep the deal safe. He hurried faster, pausing only when he got to the entrance and saw Stark lying on the floor, his back bleeding heavily. He was still encased in the armour. 

Loki reached him.  
"How do I get him out of this?"  
"I am steering two suits to come and carry him. I need you to make sure he can be lifted." Jarvis explained, as two of Tony's suits made their way into view, their visors lifted to reveal their hollow interiors.

Loki got to work, crouching beside Tony and examining him, feeling a burst of relief.  
"His spinal cord is intact, although some of the bones around it are shattered, deep cuts including one that breaches his lung. He can be lifted slowly, get him into the medical lab and onto the table, and help me get this armour off. Right now I can't do anything."

"As you wish." Jarvis reassured, and the suits reached them, lifting Tony. Their progress was painfully slow, the man between them making slight whimpering noises as he was carried. He was clearly in pain, and there was little that Loki could do right now - he had the capacity to ease the pain, but with only a limited amount of magic left, he was in no rush to spend it all. Tony's discomfort was unpleasant, but if it was a choice between Tony being in pain or Tony having a broken spine, Loki knew which meant he had a chance of surviving.

They reached the medical lab, and the suits placed Tony down on the bed.  
"Careful." Loki warned as they set about removing the armour, but Jarvis made only a faint click of acknowledgement as the metal slid away from him, leaving Tony's undersuit exposed.

The metal from his back lifted off slowly, with sharp shards of metal slowly lifting from his skin and blood welling up in its place. Loki hissed, waiting for the suit to have moved the armour out of the way, and then getting to work at healing the injury. He placed his hands over the cut, and focussed on it. 

He could see the blood, the structure of the veins and arteries in his brain as his magic ran over the bruised skin. He could see the rips and tears, the parts that were most dangerous to Tony’s health, and he focused his magic there. First came trying to seal the puncture to the lung, and then strengthening the bones that were around his spine. Then closing off holes in the major arteries, then the veins. The magic flowed from Loki, leaving him breathless, skin pale and covered in a light sheen of sweat. He was panting now, barely able to stand, and he tried to focus on what progress he had made. 

Loki braced himself on the bed that Tony was on, running a thin layer of magic over him again. The bones were a little stronger at least, and the blood had stopped pouring from the wound and was now simply a trickle over the black fabric. 

The prince forced himself to stand, and got the scissors needed to cut away the fabric from Tony’s back. He was still dizzy, but he had done as much as he could with his magic, and Tony was whimpering softly. He hoped that that was a good sign, a sign of strength, of life. He examined the injuries visually now, seeing how deep they were. They were bad, painful and would leave scars, but right now Loki lacked the strength to heal them more. Instead, he searched the room for wipes, cleaning away the blood and then finding the needle and thread that Bruce had explained how to use. A moment later he decided against it. It would be better to deal with that later, for now the priority had to be looking after Tony in other ways. His hands were shaking too much to sew up the injury for now.

There were fluid bags in the cupboard, IV's and replacement blood, and he could use those. He decided on the IV fluid to start with, and set up the drip, plunging the needle into Tony's bloodstream to try and compensate for the liquid that was slowly running down his skin.

He wasn't sure that this was the same level of care that Bruce would have managed, but it was the best that he could do in the situation. 

Only once Tony seemed calmer did he clean away the blood, and he fetch himself some water. The drink was cold, and he felt himself relaxing slowly. He settled into his seat and closed his eyes, relaxing. He could hear Tony's breathing, and only once he was calmer did he sew up the wound, before settling down again. He wanted to help more, but for now that was as much as he could do.

It was a sudden sharp intake of breath that startled him from his doze and he looked up.  
"Hey." Came the soft whisper from Tony, and he looked over to see Tony's eyes opening a little.  
"Are you well?" Loki asked softly, glancing over at him.   
"Sore...what...what happened?"  
"You turned up injured. The fight's still ongoing, so I've done what I can to help you. The worst of the injuries have been healed, your bones knitted back together, and I stopped the lung puncture. It's not perfect, but it means you will live."

"You did great." Tony muttered. "Sit down, you look like shit."  
"Already sitting." Loki answered, looking back at Tony.  
"It's figurative." Tony answered with a shrug. 

"The others have just arrived." Jarvis announced. "They are all uninjured aside from a hairline fracture and dislocation to Barton's right arm."  
"Send them up." Tony murmured. "And tell Bruce to bring some water and some painkillers."  
Loki relaxed on his chair. He had done all he could, and now he could hand the care over to Doctor Banner.

***

Steve paced around the gym, trying to work out what he could possibly say to make things better - how he could write a letter to the others if Tony was seriously injured. He should have been there, but he wasn't going to be, and he probably couldn't visit. He kept throwing punches at the punching bags hanging up against the wall - the violence helped him to keep moving, helped keep his mind clear. It wasn't good, he wasn't proud of it, but right now it was all that he found himself capable of doing.

He went over to one of the benches, putting his feet up onto it and starting to do push ups from the floor, his body tilted forwards. The blood ran towards his head, and he felt himself going almost dizzy from it. That at least took a little of the stress away.

The tablet, which he had discarded on a shelf when he had reached the gym, made a soft beep. He ran to it immediately, opening up the screen, and smiling slightly when he saw Natasha there. She looked calm, and as he caught her eye she flashed a smile at him.  
"He's going to be alright." She said softly. "Loki saved him."

Steve felt a wave of relief sweep through him at the survival of his friend, and managed a soft smile in return.  
"Thank you..." He heard approaching footsteps, and turned to see Thor in the doorway. He raced forwards and wrapped his arms around him, embracing him for a moment in sheer joy before stepping away.   
"Tony's okay. He got badly injured in a fight but your brother saved him."  
"What?" Thor frowned, but Steve just smiled at him.  
"Loki healed him. He's going to be okay, he's going to get better and that's all because of Loki. I just...I thought you'd like to know." That frown wasn't leaving Thor's expression, and Steve felt a faint twitch of concern.


	14. Peacemakers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Thor talk, and Tony has an important realisation.

Thor walked over to Steve, trying to keep the concern from his face. Loki worked hard, he did, and he was a caring soul – he was a trickster, but never one to hurt, at least not intentionally. If Tony had been injured, Loki would have exhausted himself trying to look after him, and that was a deep worry. Loki no longer possessed the great magical strength he had once owned, and what he had now was fragile. For him to have used his energy to heal another could have left him weak.

Steve looked up at him anxiously, and Thor realised how severe he must look. He took a deep breath, attempting to turn his expression to one of kindness.  
“How did you know?”  
Steve held up a primitive tablet, a communications device that Thor had seen a long time ago.   
“Tony managed to set it up so it works on Earth and Asgard. When he was injured, Natasha let me know…”

“I see.” Thor said softly. He felt a slight pang of surprise in his chest – he would have expected Steve to share something like this, had thought that they were close, that they were friends. He hadn’t expected lies.

A moment after that, he realised he was being too harsh. Steve was in a world he didn’t know, with one fragile link to home. He couldn’t be surprised he had chosen to protect that link, to keep it secret in an attempt to preserve it. Still, he knew of it now, and that gave him a chance, no matter how small.  
“Do you think I could use it to see my brother? I am concerned for him, and wish to see his condition for myself.” 

“Of course!” Steve said quickly. “Sit down, and I’ll teach you.”   
Thor sat beside him, his head resting against Steve’s own. There was a definite comfort there, in finding another person so close, and it did a little to assuage the fear he felt for his brother at the moment. The machine was not complicated, just a little different from what he was used to, and soon he had learned enough to operate it, pushing the button to start a call. 

There was no answer, and the concern that he had just about managed to suppress rose again, niggling away at his insides and leaving him feeling almost sick with fear. He tried to smile and look calm.  
“We can try later.” Steve promised, reaching out to rest a hand on his arm. “We could leave a message for now, if you’d like?”  
“I suppose that might help.” Thor agreed, passing the device back to Steve.

Steve quickly pressed a couple of buttons, and when he held it out again the camera was facing the two of them.

"Say what you'd like." Steve prompted. "It's recording."  
"Thank you." Thor answered, his lips twitching slightly. He took a moment to compose himself before he began to talk.   
"Hello Brother. It is good to speak to you again, although I must admit my concern at not being able to hear from you immediately. I hear you risked yourself in order to save the Man of Iron, and that is very kind if not a little foolish - just what I would expect from you brother. For all your attempts to trick and manipulate, you were never a harsh soul, and I am glad to know you. Still, I wish for you to take more care of yourself in future. You are the only brother I have, and I am loathe to lose you so easily."

He passed the screen back, and Steve smiled brightly, waving at the camera.   
"Get well soon, both of you, and thanks for saving Tony." He ended the message and smiled at Thor. Thor chuckled softly, returning the smile.

***

Tony woke to the noise of machines - not the gentle whirring of his bots, but instead a steady and slow beeping of machines. Combined with the harsh scent assaulting his nostrils, he knew he was in one of the medical rooms. There was someone speaking softly in the distance. He opened his eyes slowly, always cautious of where he might find himself. 

He saw Loki sat upon the chair, one of Tony's tablets held in both of his hands. As Tony became more aware of his surroundings, he realised that the person talking was Thor, speaking over the tablet.  
"Your brother call?" He asked softly. Loki shook his head.  
"It is a recording."

"Give it here." Tony waved one hand in the air, only to flinch a moment later at the pain of movement. The tablet was passed to him, and he opened up a call to Steve, seeing the uncertainty on Loki's face giving way to gratitude as it was handed back to him.

For a while, there was nothing on the screen, but soon shapes began to appear - both Thor and Steve were there. They looked relaxed, leaning against each other in order to both fit their broad bodies into the frame. Steve raised one hand to Tony, and Tony echoed the wave.  
"I'm fine Steve." Tony said before Steve could start asking too many questions. "I was a bit stupid, but I'm fine now, don't worry." 

Steve looked a little uncertain, and Tony tried not to be offended at that. He knew that he was perfectly capable of doing stupid things sometimes, but it was fine now. That was the important thing. Tony rolled his eyes at Steve, and in doing so caught sight of Loki's expression. He looked nervous, staring down at the device with caution. 

Tony's first urge was to try and explain the technology, but he remembered after a moment that Loki knew this. Whatever was worrying him, it wouldn't be the tablet.   
"What is it?"  
"Nothing." Loki answered a little too quickly, his gaze still fixed on the screen. Tony thought for a moment, before realising that if Loki wasn't concerned by the machine, he must be concerned by what he could see on it.

"Hey, Steve, the aliens feeding you now?"  
"Very well. There's some really amazing desserts here Tony, you'd love them." He flashed him a brilliant smile. "Thanks."  
"That's okay. Hey, if you're being fed and I'm alive, how about we let Thor and Loki talk."

"Thank you Man of Iron." Thor's voice came from the screen, the words soft, grateful for Tony's attitude. That gentleness startled Tony slightly, and he could see in Loki's eyes how relieved he was. Loki must miss Thor a great deal. At that moment, Tony began to realise that Steve wasn't the only one trapped many miles from home, caught up in a hostage event that they had no direct control over. Not only was that the situation Steve found himself in, it was true for Loki as well.

He passed over the screen, this new line of thinking buzzing away in his mind. He wanted to work out what was happening there, how he could help, but for now Loki needed to talk to his brother. Loki had been brought here against his will, a prisoner. What had befallen him since was no more Loki's fault than it was Steve's own, and that was a startling realisation for Tony.

He understood why this separation had happened, and knew the importance of respecting it to maintain the truce, but at the same time it wasn't good when it was hurting so many people. Queen Frigga had managed to bring them together once after all, there had to be a way of making it more permanent. He frowned, reaching for a scrap of paper so he could jot down some ideas.

He moved a short way from where Loki and Thor were having their heartfelt reunion, and spoke softly.  
"Jarvis?"  
"Yes sir?"  
"Did you complete the scans from the previous visit?"  
"I did sir." Jarvis answered, and the schematics appeared at Tony's fingertips. Intricate equations floated in the air, and Tony turned his attention to those, letting Thor and Loki talk on.


	15. Communication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some needed conversations are had, and life starts to get a little simpler.

Steve said nothing as Thor and his brother continued to talk. He could recognise that this wasn't to do with him, was not anything he should be interfering with. Thor had been truly concerned for Loki previously, and anything that put his mind at rest had to be good. This was important to both of them, and he had no right to interfere.

He didn't pull away though. He wasn't speaking, but he didn't run away either, because Thor was resting a hand on his shoulder, leaning against him and gently guiding him into viewof the camera. It was comfortable enough, so he was in no hurry to leave.

Tony had wandered away from Loki, and was in the background, fiddling with some design or other. Steve saw no reason to distract him, and let him continue. What mattered was Thor knowing that his little brother was safe.

Thor’s thumb on Steve’s shoulder rubbed soothing circles against his skin, and Steve felt himself relaxing more. Thor was comforting to have around, his solid presence secure, and Steve felt calmer and more relaxed than he could ever remember being before. This was safe.

He tried not to overthink that. Some of the implications were more than he was ready to handle at the moment, but for now he could accept that being beside Thor was not unpleasant. He just relaxed and let the conversation continue, letting his own thoughts subside as the conversation washed over him.

Thor was smiling at his brother, and wished him farewell, waving and repeating his intent to call soon. Steve smiled. It was good for both of them to get the chance to talk like this, that much was clear from the smile on Thor's face which was mirrored on his brother's. If it was so easy to help them, he would make sure they spoke again soon. 

Tony was still busy with one of the screens, so Steve didn't say goodbye to him, just waved at Loki and promised that they would call soon. Loki had nodded, and Thor had waved once more before ending the call. Once the call was over, Thor’s face fell for a moment before he made himself smile.  
"What is it?"  
"Just that I miss Loki dearly. I know the Man of Iron is treating him with care, and I am grateful for it, but it is still a long way from being able to spend time with my brother whenever I would wish, do you understand?"  
"I do." Steve answered, wrapping an arm around him and yawning softly. "I understand." 

"You require rest."  
"Perhaps a little." Steve admitted. "It was good to see you talking to your brother though. You miss him."  
"Less, now that we can talk so easily, but I still worry about him over exerting himself. He can get carried away when he wishes to help, but then I know you would have some sympathy with that." 

Steve felt his face heat up a little and glanced down.  
"Perhaps a little."  
"I do not think it is a flaw. Merely a cause of much pain for those around you who long to keep you safe."  
"Sounds sure like a flaw to me." Steve pointed out, but Thor shook his head.  
"Not a flaw. Just a different way of looking at things. An undervaluing of what you are worth perhaps. That might be the easiest way to explain it. There is a flaw there yes, but it is not a flaw that people can criticise you for. It is like a gemstone with shards of other rocks within it. They capture the light and make the rock more beautiful, yet they are still a flaw."

"Thank you." Steve paused. "I think."  
"I speak well of you." Thor promised. "Perhaps not skillfuly, but well."  
"Thank you." Steve smiled. "Now, you said about rest." 

Thor nodded, heading over towards his bed. He looked a little dejected, and Steve had been alone enough when he was younger to recognise someone who was suffering a great deal of loneliness. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.  
"I could join you tonight. If it would help you sleep better I mean."

Thor's expression brightened, his eyes sparkling with joy, and Steve knew he had made the right offer. Thor desperately needed someone to hold, and while Steve could not return his brother to him, he could at least hold him close and help take the pain away.

"Thank you." Thor said softly, his words barely audible. He stretched out on the bed for a moment longer and then smiled, moving over to one side. "I will let you prepare of course, but then... Well, if you are sure."  
"Certain." Steve answered, quickly changing into his pyjamas and then sitting on the edge of the bed. For a moment a flutter of anxiety seized his throat, but no sooner was it felt than it was dismissed, and he leaned forwards to wrap his arms around Thor. Thor mirrored the gesture, pulling him close, and Steve smiled. This close, he could smell Thor's warmth, feel the gentle pressure of where their skin brushed. He smiled to himself as he drifted into sleep.

***

"You miss him?" Tony's question startled Loki and he twisted to look up at him, frowning for a moment before putting the links together and working out what had been asked.

"Thor? Yes. I miss him greatly. As children we were inseparable, and whilst we have both grown since then being without him for so long feels a little strange. I do think however that the distance will at least cool any anger he feels towards me for protecting you."  
"I'm sorry I am worth so little to Asgard that they would want me dead." Tony answered, but he was grinning widely as he said it, and Loki managed a faint smile back.  
"He just does not want me to fall ill." Loki explained with a shrug. "He worries I overexert myself, and that I will not recover. He worries far more than is necessary but he means no harm by it, and I have no desire to stop him. If I occasionally have to deal with him panicking over nothing, I can manage that."  
"I'm glad." Tony answered. "You miss him?"  
"A lot. As I am sure you miss your captain, and the two of you were not companions and dearest friends for centuries before that. Your captain and yourself have barely known each other for six months and all accounts indicate that your first meeting went particularly poorly, with the two of you feeling quite hostile towards each other. Still, let me guess, such things are easily forgotten if a good enough reason is provided."  
"There is a good reason." Tony answered quickly, before he relaxed a little and smiled. "I see your point though. Thor misses you as well, you could see it when he was speaking to you."  
"Such is our situation." Loki answered. "I am not happy with it, but for the good of both realms, I must endure. To do otherwise would risk more damage than I am willing to deal out."

Tony nodded, but there was a smile on his lips, betraying his otherwise serious expression. Loki frowned, waiting for an explanation of what he was thinking of. It was not long before he spoke and explained

"You can call him whenever you wish now."  
"I know." Loki answered with a faint smile. "And I appreciate it. I appreciate your kindness, but it is not the same as having him here."  
"No." Tony agreed. "But we can call every day. And your mother managed to open up a portal before right? So there must be a way of doing it."  
"Of course." Loki answered, and then his eyes brightened. "You wish to open a permanent portal between the two worlds?"  
"Can we?"  
"I see no reason we would not be able to." Loki answered, his eyes shining. "You of course could provide much of the structure, but I am sure that the Lady Frigga will be able to find time to help you if it becomes necessary. Perhaps she can aid you with the electronics. I know you are talented, and that with some of Asgard's materials we can gain the ability to move between the realms."

"Thank you." Tony answered, and he was grinning. Loki could feel excitement bubbling in his chest. Thor had been delighted enough at the call. He looked forwards to seeing how he would react at the chance to visit, and being close to his brother would reassure him as well. He grinned back at Tony, leaning over to embrace him.  
"It is good to see you looking so healthy."  
"I have you to thank for that." Tony answered, and Loki could see a brightness in his eyes that had been absent previously, a faint flickering of hope. The earlier hostility seemed to have faded, and been replaced by something else entirely. It might not have been friendship exactly, but it was at least the offer of a chance.


	16. Learning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Compromises are made, alliances formed, and wrongs righted.

Tony's brain was spinning with the different possibilities. His initial desire was to keep this entirely to himself, to create the portal without any assistance from Asgard. But he couldn't ignore that Asgard had impressive technological skills, and that they had already proved themselves to be more than capable of creating the portal between the worlds on a temporary basis. It provided him somewhere to start, to work on so that they could achieve their goal - a permanent link between the two worlds, for the benefit of all four of them. He hoped it would work. He believed that turning to Asgard for help wouldn't backfire terribly, but was painfully aware it had the potential to do so. That worried him. Making a mistake now could end up costing them all, and destroying Steve. 

He couldn't let himself think like that. Loki wanted to help, and that was important - it would have been all too easy for Loki to refuse, to make some excuse or even to use this against him. But Loki hadn’t done that. Loki wanted to go home just as much as Steve did, had as much to gain from them managing to create the portal. Loki had freely volunteered help. Frigga had a son in another world, so hopefully would be eager to help.

Tony continued to work on his designs. If he would meet the Lady Frigga, he would do so with his own plans on hand, aware of the limits of his own technology but at least prepared for the discussion. He refused to be led in science he knew nothing of.

Loki sat beside him, smiling, and Tony smiled back.  
"You sure you can help with this?"  
"I do not know much in the creation of portals, but I have a little skill. Magic, as you would put it. My mother is the expert at these things, it is her I would trust to balance such a delicate change."

"And if we make it?" Tony frowned. "I've never been comfortable with this situation. If you want to leave, I can't justify holding you here."

Loki paused, turning towards him and looking him up and down, raising an eyebrow. His gaze settled on Tony's chest, and he raised an eyebrow.  
"I think that perhaps I should stay. You do not seem to do so well without my assistance."  
Tony laughed at that, amusement bubbling up inside of him. There was a comfort in Loki's words, a friendliness in them that had been absent just a few days previously. He was still unhappy with the situation, but he was beginning to suspect that they could survive it. 

"Yeah, I know. I've said thanks for that. You want me to keep saying it?" He teased.  
"I'd rather you just practiced a little caution and ensured it didn't happen again," Loki replied. "But I may well be being overly ambitious with such hopes, and so I shall not push so far for it."

"You're one to talk." Tony answered, but he was grinning, and Loki's lips had a slight upturn which could easily pass for a true smile. 

***

Thor woke slowly, aware of the warm body pressing against his own, the heat of the Captain's skin through his uniform.  
"Hello..." He greeted tenderly as he felt Steve move beside him, the early morning stretches bringing him back to reality and helping him to focus on the world around him. He reached out to stroke his fingers through Steve's hair, brushing the blond strands from his eyes.

"Hey." Steve smiled, and he moved to sit up. There was no rush in his movement, no attempt to escape, just a gradual change from lying to sitting, and even when he was sat he was still close enough to Thor that Thor could feel his body heat. It radiated from him, a gentle reminder that no matter what else Steve was, he was no longer the pure human he had been born. He had been modified beyond that.

Questions buzzed around Thor's head, as he found himself wondering how long it could be before age took its toll on the Captain, but he knew better than to ask. The chances were that the answer would not be one he wished to hear, and so he decided against asking about it, at least for now. It was easier to just pretend that it wasn’t a concern.  
Steve smiled at him brightly.  
"You sleep well?"  
"Indeed." Thor answered. "I did sleep well with you nearby, I hope that you did also."  
"I did." Steve answered. "Better than I thought I would actually."

"That is good to know." Thor praised beneath his breath. "I would not have wished to inconvenience you with our sleeping arrangement."  
"I liked it." Steve answered, and there was a definite smile to his voice now.

"I rather did as well." He agreed. "You do know that I admire you Captain? You are a skilful warrior and a good friend, and I enjoy the time we are able to spend together."

"I enjoy it too." Steve looked up at him. "So, where is this going? Are you about to throw me out?"  
"No!" Thor said quickly. "Quite different from that. I was just going to let you know that I admired your skill as a warrior and that I wondered whether you wanted the chance to train some more. Working with you is most exhilarating."

"Thank you." Steve's eyes had lit up, and Thor knew he was not the only one who enjoyed the chance to spar. It gave him a hope that the fondness he felt for the Captain might be returned, but beyond that it also reassured him that there were at least moments here that Steve enjoyed.

"We should rise."

Steve nodded, getting up from the bed and stretching. Thor also stood, changing into his own clothes, and stopping Steve as he headed over to the door.  
"Wait. Before we go to the gym, there is something I need to fetch first."  
"Okay, sure?" Steve answered, a slight look of confusion on his face. Thor did not provide him with any more information, but headed down the corridor to the armoury. Steve was swalking beside him, his boot steps echoing on the marble floor.

Thor could appreciate the finery of his home at moments like this. The sheer beauty of every building, every surface sparkling in the torchlight - it was a joy that so much of the universe was without. He stopped beside the intricately patterned door of the armoury itself, and heard Steve stop beside him.

"Where are we?" Steve asked, and Thor chuckled, pushing open the door. The weapons within glinted and sparkled, some polished to perfection whilst others were still stained by the blood they had shed.  
"We are in the armoury. Here are some of Asgard's greatest treasures, the weapons that we have used to great victory, or that we have taken from our enemies at the time of their fiercest defeats. This is the pride of Asgard, the stockpile of our strength."

Steve nodded, and spoke no more, although a question hung unasked in the air between them.

"There is one object here which is not our own, which was not won from war or made by our own hands, but was given by the one who it belonged to... it was entrusted into our care, as he was, and we have kept it safe." As Thor spoke, he walked along between the golden shelves, twisting and turning through the maze-like walkways until he arrived at the point he had been waiting for. 

He paused, reaching to pull the shield that Steve fought with from its resting spot, turning it in his hands to see how each concentric ring glinted in the light, the surface that had once been polished so carefully now showing the thinnest layer of dust.  
"It is time it was returned to its true owner. A man who I have great admiration for, and whom I can no longer deprive of what is rightfully his own." He held out the shield, waiting to see how Steve would respond.

The Captain's eyes brightened, and he reached out for the weapon.


	17. Routine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor and Steve train, and plans are made.

Steve's hands closed around the chilled metal, and he felt a wave of calm flow through him. He had his symbol back in his own hands. He slid the slips onto his arm, fastening it into place. The weight resting against his arm was familiar, comforting. It was a weight that he had missed.

He tested it carefully, making sure it was the exact smoothness and size that he remembered it being. It didn't disappoint. This was his own weapon, he could be certain of that. He took a deep breath before looking up into Thor's eyes and smiling.  
"It is perfect, thank you."  
"You are most welcome." Thor beamed. "I thought perhaps you could use it when we spar."

Steve felt his stomach drop slightly at that, worried he was only being given it for that moment. He would have to return this to its place on the wall, and try to look happy as he did it, to pretend that this was normal, that it didn't bother him to see it go. It wouldn't be an easy lie to maintain, but that was apparently the role he would have to fulfil. Then, perhaps, one day he would be given the chance to use it once more. 

"You can keep it." Thor's voice broke through his introspection, deep and reassuring. "I would not dream to part the two of you again. I simply hope for the honour of being able to spar you with you using the weapon you have shown to handle with such skill."

"Thank you." Steve answered, his mouth going dry. "We should go and practice now."  
"Sounds most wonderful." Thor agreed, getting to his feet. "I should let you lead the way to the gym, but I am not sure you know the path. Stick beside me and we shall journey together."

"Yeah, sure." Steve answered, falling into step beside Thor and holding the shield against his side. It was strange how having the shield on his arm once more made him feel much more himself. He kept pace with Thor, his head held high, glancing across at him and smiling. He didn't feel like a trophy any more. He had his identity back, and he wasn't going to let it go for a moment.

They reached the gym, and Thor beamed broadly.  
"Could you show me?" He asked as he gestured to the weapon. "I've seen you use it in battle, but I did not get the time I would like to study it. I was rather preoccupied by trying to ensure that it did not strike me, as I am sure you can understand..." Thor was laughing as he spoke, and Steve nodded, stepping out to the centre of the training ground and looking around to work out where to throw it, calculating angles and ricochets. He hefted the shield up and threw it once more, watching as it bounced along the route he had chosen, clipping pillars and soaring above Thor's head before returning to his hand. He caught it, nearly falling back from the force, and then rolled his shoulders back and threw it again.

Thor applauded when he caught it once more.  
"May we spar?"  
"Sure." Steve answered, placing the shield down for a moment to stretch up into the air, and then bending his knees. He picked the shield up and put it over his shoulder, and got into position. Thor launched towards him, and Steve grabbed hold, grappling with him as he struggled to stand. Thor tried to sweep his feet out from beneath him, and he nearly fell, leaning his weight against Thor and trying to pull him over as well.

Thor fell on top of him, and Steve struggled to escape from beneath him, flipping the two of them. They looked up at each other and Thor chuckled. Steve jumped back up, and after another couple of moments Thor followed suit and gave chase.

The gym was their own, and they made the most of it, moving from the main arena to the pillars. There was no anger between them, and Steve felt himself relaxing more, enjoying simply testing what he could do. Time passed in a blur, and eventually it was Thor who admitted defeat, holding up a hand with a shake of his head.  
"We need to pause. I must have a drink, I find myself quite overcome with tiredness."  
"Sure thing." Steve grinned, walking over to him and shaking his hand. "Good fight."  
"You too." Thor led the way to the kitchens, fetching two goblets of mead and holding one out with a smile. Steve took it and drained it in a few gulps.

"Hello Thor. Captain Rogers." The sudden voice startled him, and he jumped to find Frigga stood nearby. She was dressed in pale blue, her hair pinned up elegantly, and she looked every bit a queen.

"Ma'am." Steve answered, bowing his head respectfully.  
"It looks like the two of you have been having fun... And I see that you have your shield once more."  
"I did not think it right to deprive him of it." Thor answered. "And we were sparring."  
"I think you are right there son, and I am glad you have learned to make such judgements. I have learned of some of your other recent work as well son, and I am proud of what you have achieved."  
"Thank you mother." Thor said hesitantly. "You do not come to stop me?"  
"No." Frigga answered firmly. "I come to encourage you instead, because I believe it is encouragement that you need. Any aid I can give you, I am happy to provide."

"Thanks." Steve held his hand out to her to shake. "We appreciate it."  
"I am glad for the chance to see my son once more." She answered. "And we do not wish for your stay here to be unpleasant. If this is a small thing that we can do to make life simpler, I am glad to oblige. Now, would it be possible for you to fetch your device, so that we can try and discuss this together?"  
"Sure."  
"Come to my room mother, that way we can ensure we have the privacy we need." Thor answered, and he strode off with purpose. Steve and Frigga exchanged a glance, and the two of them walked after him.

Frigga sat down gently on the edge of the bed, and Steve sat beside her, holding out his tablet and turning it on, setting it up so that it would call the others.  
"Here..." Steve passed it to her as Tony appeared on the screen, a screwdriver held in his mouth. He raised a hand in greeting, spitting out the tool and clearing his throat.  
"Hey, your majesty. Jarvis, get Loki..."  
"It is good to see you once more Man of Iron. I do hope that you have been well." Frigga said, a fond smile lingering on her lips as she saw her son appearing in the doorway. Tony raised the tablet towards him, and Loki saw his mother, walking over with a faint wave. He sat beside Tony.

*** 

"Mother?"  
"It is good to see you once more son. You look a little more at ease than you did the last time I saw you."  
"Life has become a little easier." He answered, looking towards Tony.

Tony took the hint, raising his hands and leaving Loki with the tablet. Loki held it closely, gazing at his mother and brother, noticing how closely his brother sat to the Captain. He did not comment, not whilst his mother was there. Instead, he focussed on her.

"How have you been mother?"  
"Well enough. I miss seeing your skills, of course I do, but I continue. And now, well, I hear there is an opportunity for us to open up the worlds so that I may see you more frequently... perhaps you have less magic than you did, but you are still my son, and I still wish to see you."  
"Thank you." Loki answered. "I hope that we will be able to do so... I am contented here. I did not think that I should be, but now I am. Only now, I should be happy to see you more often. The chance to visit would help a great deal, I hope that you understand that."

"Of course." Frigga answered, shaking her head a little. "I should like to visit you as well. And we shall be able to have my skills bring you here soon, if you are both willing."  
"I am sure he will agree." Loki answered. "But it is different from being able to visit whenever we should like."

"We shall reach there." Frigga promised. "But I shall need time. I know the Man of Iron to be skilled with technology, whatever his other faults, and I do believe that he should help me."

"I'll go and ask." Loki answered, placing the screen down and walking over to find where Tony had hidden. "Frigga wants your help on the portal."  
"Of course she does." Tony said with a grin. "I'm wonderful, and I am a genius."  
"A genius willing to help?"  
"Definitely." Tony answered. "Come on, let's go and talk to her."

Loki followed him back, the two of them sitting together. Loki could not follow all of the conversation, but understood enough to know what he would have to do on his end of the agreement, how he would need to put the work together to ensure that it would function. He had a weak connection to Asgard, little real power, but enough to strengthen the links the others would produce, to establish the portal once it was ready. When that was all complete, his links would no longer be needed to hold it in place and he would be able to relax. His role was small but vital, and he was relieved that he could be of at least a little use.

Eventually Tony and Frigga had completed their discussions. Tony ended the call after they had said their goodbyes, and turned to Loki.  
"Shall we get to work?"

Loki nodded, standing and following him further into the workshop.

***

Frigga stared at the tablet for a few moments after her son disappeared from her view, then turned it over, and looked up at the Captain. She smiled at him.  
"Thank you. I should like to hold onto this for a little longer, so that I may communicate with the Man of Iron. You are welcome to ask to borrow it any day, if you should like."  
"Thank you Ma'am." Steve answered, his mouth going a little dry at that. He didn't want to allow the tablet from his grasp, but he knew he was being foolish. If Frigga held onto it, the portal would be developed sooner, and that would be better for all of them. He made no effort to take the tablet back, and when Frigga stood to leave, he stood beside her, walking her to the door and wishing her the best. 

He watched her leaving, then turned to Thor and pursed his lips in consideration.  
"I was thinking about doing another painting."


	18. Companionship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Thor agree to take a few days off, whilst Tony's hard work gets interrupted.

Thor had always enjoyed lying in bed in the morning, waking slowly in the warmth and having no need to rush. It had felt good, opening his eyes slowly and looking up to see the sunlight flickering across the floor. Now though, waking was even better, because Steve was resting against him. His hair seemed to glow in the early morning light, and Thor felt a swell of pride in his heart. Seeing Steve there set his soul soaring, and he watched him closely. Eventually he lifted his hand to Steve's hair, stroking his fingers through the golden strands.

Steve smiled, leaning into the touch, his eyes opening slowly.  
"Hey..." Steve murmured, looking up at him.   
"Hello yourself." Thor greeted, lifting his hand up so that Steve could sit. The captain sat, stretching his arms and rolling his shoulders.

"Morning."  
"I was thinking..." Thor began, and laughed at Steve's raised eyebrow. "I do think sometimes, you know?"  
"Of course you do."

"Just because mother and my brother work on the portal whilst the two of us play at war does not make us fools Captain, and I know that you realise that. You believe you are not a fool, for all that others tell you, and you are right in that knowledge."  
"Thanks." Steve reached out and squeezed his hand gently. "What is it you were thinking?"  
"I forgot..." Thor said with a laugh, and shook his head, his eyes sparkling. "I was thinking that the two of us should perhaps go hunting together?"  
"With the warriors three?"  
"Perhaps, if you wish it." Thor agreed. "Although, I was rather thinking that we could go alone. That we could travel together and see what we could find...there is much of Asgard you have not seen... one day I should like to take you to explore all of it, but for now I thought just a day or two would suffice so that we could spend time together and still return before the portal is complete..." 

Thor had seen how Steve had been anxious the last few days, worried about the portal and missing the ease of communication he had had now that the tablet was taken away. He had been unsure whether Steve would like the offer, but now that he had suggested it he could see how Steve's eyes had lit up with joy.

"I'd like that." Steve said with a smile. "I'd like that a lot..." He leaned in to Thor, and reached down, wrapping one of Thor's hands in both of his. "That's a really good idea."  
"Not all my ideas are foolish."  
"Just most of them." Steve answered, and Thor laughed heartily. Steve was a quick one, his eyes sparkling with mirth, and Thor shook his head with fondness.

Steve was looking up at him, and Thor opened his mouth, wondering what it was that was hanging unspoken between them. He had his own suspicions, but did not want to make the mistake of acting first, of judging the mood wrongly and hurting one he cared for so much. 

He needn't have worried.

Steve twisted, moving so that they were face to face, and he leaned in. Their lips brushed, and after a moment Steve pulled away. He looked almost nervous, but before he could panic Thor leaned in once more, closing the space between them. His action seemed to soothe any concern that Steve might have had, because he opened his mouth and began to return the kiss, his tongue brushing up against Thor's own.

Thor moaned into his mouth, kissing him deeply as Steve's arms wrapped around his shoulders, holding him close. It was a few moments before Steve pulled away, and now his eyes were full of laughter, the fear completely gone.  
"You know, I think that trip's a good idea."

"I believe so." Thor answered as he leaned in for one more kiss.

***

"What are you doing?" Tony asked, leaning against a work bench and taking some deep breaths. "I mean, seriously Loki, what are you doing?"   
The Asgardian was sat cross legged on the floor in the workshop, his head bowed and hands clasped together in his lap. His eyes were closed, and his hair fell across his face.

"Loki? Anyone home?"

For a moment Loki's hand flashed up as he flipped the bird and then it was back in front of him, the action so quick that Tony couldn't be certain he had seen it. Tony shook his head and looked back at the circuits in front of him. He was sure he could fix this, put it together the way that Frigga had told him, but the technology that Asgard used was so unfamiliar that he was having to make it up as he went along.

Whatever Loki was working on, he was sure that the man would show him later. For today, he would just let him have his fun.

There was a strange noise from where Loki was sat, and Tony turned around to see that Loki was leaning forwards and panting. On his knee perched a pigeon, tilting its head to one side. With a coo it lifted up into the air and Tony shook his head.

"No. Shoo!" He called, waving his hands at it. "Not in the workshop. Not. In. The. Workshop." He tried to chase it away, but it just circled up onto a shelf and sat there.

"...Did you magic up a pigeon to torment me Loki? Is that what is happening here? Because that's just cruel. I don't deserve that." Tony whined, walking over to the window and opening it, before picking up a screwdriver and brandishing it at the pigeon. The pigeon made no attempt to move.

"It had broken its neck on the window." Loki answered. "I healed it."  
Tony frowned, looking at Loki more closely and seeing how pale he was.   
"You need some water? Your brother's going to kill me if you end up dying like this, and I will deserve it, and it will be horribly embarrassing, so I want you to apologise to me right now before you die."  
"I'm not going to die." Loki panted, but he took the water that Tony held out gratefully and gulped it down. 

"You better not." Tony answered, sitting down. "So seriously, why the pigeon?"  
"Wanted to see how you'd react to a pigeon in your workshop." Loki answered with a grin. Tony raised an eyebrow, but as he opened his mouth to reply the pigeon swooped through the air towards him, and he ducked.

"Did you make it attack me?"  
"I can't control birds Stark." Loki answered with a smirk. "It wasn't my fault."  
"Sure it wasn't." Tony answered with a raised eyebrow, then noticing that the pigeon was near the window. He started to approach it, and it launched off again, flying around the room with soft cooing noises.

"You definitely magicked up a pigeon to torment me." Tony mumbled. "Dummy, you are responsible for trying to get rid of the pigeon. Jarvis, tell me if he tries to do that again."

"Of course sir." Jarvis answered, and Tony turned his attention back to the portal, fitting the circuit into place. He had created the metal archway to Frigga's specifications, and it was humming now with energy, the air within it beginning to glow. The pigeon came closer, and for one awful moment Tony imagined it flying out to Asgard. But it turned around and soared out of the window, leaving the two of them alone. They grinned, and Tony cleared his throat.

"Jarvis, get me the Lady Frigga. We're ready on this end."


	19. Sharing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The portal between the worlds opens, and things begin to fall into place.

Loki smiled as his mother appeared on the screen in front of him. She looked as beautiful and calm as always, but her eyes looked brighter and more hopeful than they had when the agreement had been made.   
"My son."  
"Mother." He greeted her, aware of Dummy circling in the background. "How are you?"  
"Most well. I hope that you are feeling better. You look much less healthy than you have been my son. Did you tire yourself?"

"A foolish game mother. I am going to be fine, I just need a few days to recover."  
"That is acceptable, if that is what you need." Frigga said softly. "We can pause for your recovery if we must. For now, your brother is away with the Captain, so we shall wait for their return."

Loki chuckled softly and shook his head.  
"To the hunting grounds?"  
"The two of them thought that they would have a good time together with none of the concern or attention that they otherwise might face. I am sure they will return before nightfall. Knowing your brother they shall return carrying enough slaughtered animals we must have a feast. Perhaps that would be the time for you to visit? After the feast, we shall put some food aside."

Loki glanced at Tony, and Tony nodded quickly.  
"Sounds perfect." Loki agreed. "But for now mother, I must let you get on with the work that you are doing. I shall wait to hear from you eagerly."

"Soon my son. Do not give up hope, for I know it shall not be long before I can have both of my children beside me."   
"Indeed mother. Not long." Loki promised, smiling at her. "For now, let me ensure we have everything that we need. I await your contact."  
"I shall be in touch soon." Frigga promised, before she flickered away.

"Hunting grounds?" Tony asked with a wry smile. "Is that what they call it on Asgard?"  
"Apparently, that is what my brother is calling it."

"Not very subtle then."  
"I do not think that my brother comprehends the idea of subtlety. Compared to some of the other options, I am certain that he is being most subtle."

Loki laughed softly, shaking his head and smiling at Tony.  
"Worryingly, you are almost certainly right." Tony agreed with a sigh. "Still, I think the portal is ready. While we're waiting for them, we can have a drink or something."  
"Sounds wonderful." Loki agreed, heading out into the kitchen and fetching a glass of wine for them both. He settled down, letting Tony ramble on a bout his engineering. The sound washed over him, and he allowed it to soothe him, relaxing him slowly. It was good to hear Tony sound so happy, and he needed to do nothing more than nod at the right points.

The screen eventually flickered to life, and Frigga was there, smiling and waving one hand up towards the screen. Loki waved in return, and called Tony over.  
"She is here... are we ready mother?"

Frigga nodded, and Tony looked up.  
"We good?"  
"We're ready to go. If you can put the power on Tony, then I can ..." Loki went to stand beside the frame, holding onto it tightly and focussing on the faint link he could feel to his mother and his home. He focused on the idea of Asgard, on the place he had once known he belonged. and he closed his eyes after a moment. He focussed just on that moment, on that connection, and he felt after a moment his mother's power beside his own. He could see nothing, focussing just on the sensation of their connection, but after a moment Tony's hand rested on his shoulder. It was the signal that they had already agreed to say he could stop. He looked up to see Tony there, and he was guided back from the portal. 

In front of him there was a doorway into his brother's room, Frigga by the doorway and Thor and Steve a short distance away He walked forwards without thinking, and stepped through the glittering air. Warm arms embraced him and he was pulled close to his mother. He looked up to find her smiling down at him.  
"You did well." She told him softly. "You did well."

"Yeah, you did great." That was Tony, walking out through the gap behind him. "So, we've got it working."  
"Apparently." Loki confirmed, smiling at his brother.

***

"It's good to see you Tony." Steve said softly, reaching out and shaking his hand, before pulling him into a tight hug. "It's so good to see you."

"How was the hunting trip?" Tony asked with a grin.  
"The hunting trip was good." Steve answered, a faint smile on his lips. "The hunting trip was really good actually, thank you."  
"I'm glad." Tony answered, holding him tighter. "That's great news. Now, what are we doing?"  
"We're going to talk..." Steve shrugged. "I think we've got a lot to talk about, you know?"  
"Definitely." Tony grinned. "Well done for not ruining everything yet. I'm impressed."  
"Thanks." Steve answered. "I can occasionally manage a few weeks without ruining all my relationships, you just didn’t like me to start with."

Tony laughed to himself. "Of course. And you can come back if you need to. That's the point of this. We can see each other every day if we want to." Tony frowned and shook his head. "This yours and Thor's bedroom? I don't know if you want me turning up or looking in from my lab, if the hunting grounds aren’t available."  
"We're going to put a curtain around the portal." Steve said with a shake of his head, refusing to be embarrassed about it all. "And I'm sure we'll work things out."

"Got it." Tony answered. "So, anything you've been missing from home? Anything you've wanted to eat, or..."  
"I missed chocolate, and cookies." Steve answered quickly.  
"Some in the kitchen." Tony said. "You know where those are right?"

"Where they always are." Steve nodded, walking through the portal. His knees went weak as he found himself back on Earth. It had been months, and he had never thought that he was going to go home. But now he was in the workshop, on his own.

He headed up towards the kitchen, and grabbed a packet of cookies from the cupboard, walking back down to the workshop. He knew that if he wanted to, he could run away, but that didn't feel so tempting any more. Instead, he walked back to the portal, pausing at the threshold. He went over to the bots, petting each of them in return and promising he would come back to see them soon, then walking through once more.

"Hey guys." Steve said with a grin, holding out the packet. "I brought enough cookies for everyone."   
"Thanks." Tony answered. "That's it, offer everyone my cookies. Damn good friend you are Steve."  
"I know." Steve opened the packet and held them out to the others.

***

Loki reached out and took one, crunching it between his teeth.  
"This tastes very good?"  
"Bruce recommended them. He makes better though, you should get him to teach you." Tony grinned, rolling his eyes as Thor devoured a handful of cookies eagerly.

Loki shook his head fondly.  
"I suppose I had better. It might make a good gift for my brother."  
"And your mother." Frigga murmured, reaching out to take a cookie and nibbling at it. "So, this seems to be working."

"It is a secure portal now mother, as far as I can tell."  
"That's what Jarvis's scans say." Tony joined in.  
"I have a great deal of respect for the mind of your intelligence." Frigga said softly, and Tony smiled.  
"Thank you, he's fantastic. So you're Frigga right? Loki's mom? He misses you a lot."

Loki looked away for a moment, then shrugged and turned his gaze to Tony, expression hard.   
"I see no reason to be ashamed of that." Loki answered. "My mother is a wonderful woman, and this is my home."   
"Didn't mean it was bad." Tony answered, shaking Frigga's hand with a smile. "It's clear why you miss her. She is a wonderful woman, very kind, and has a brilliant brain.”  
"Thank you." Frigga smiled softly, and Loki sighed softly in despair at Tony’s natural way with women.

Tony grinned at him, and Loki shook his head. Frigga got up and walked from the room. It was a couple of minutes before she returned, carrying a small metallic ball. She held it out and it floated up in the air, starting to spin and spiral through the space. It raced around the room, twisting and turning as it circled.

"What... what is that?" Tony asked, captivated, and Loki spoke.  
"A child's toy. It's something that is quite popular here."  
"A gift for you. As a thank you for your role in creating the portal." Frigga added.  
"Thank you." Tony said cautiously, reaching out for it and then showing it to Loki, his eyes glittering with excitement.

"I had one of these as a child." Loki informed him. "I am familiar with how they work."  
"That's fantastic." Tony grinned. "So you can teach me how to make them of my own?"  
"I suppose so." Loki paused. "If you're being nice."

"Are you bribing me with technology?" Tony asked, his head to one side. "Because I can certainly see that working, unfortunately. I should probably be more ashamed of that than I am, but I can't be bothered."  
"It works, and that's the important thing." Frigga pointed out, opening up the device. Loki watched Tony looking at the toy, seeing the excitement in his eyes and feeling himself relaxing. Tony looked so brilliantly happy at that moment, and it made him feel happy as well. 

He had a way home, and life was good. Looking at Steve, he could see that the other man was smiling as well.


	20. Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An ending and a beginning as things start again

Thor woke up more quickly than he liked. He was cold, shivering a little in the early morning light. He blinked awake, reaching for his blankets and furs, and finding nothing there. He lifted his head, and laughed out loud at what he saw. 

Steve was curled up on the bed, wrapped in the furs and blankets, tangled in the warm fabric. He was smiling in his sleep, and look utterly content and secure. Thor waited for a moment, and then reached out and embraced Steve, pulling him up against his side. Steve whined slightly then snuggled back down against him, not waking up. He was warm now, and Thor let himself drift off once more.

It was a little longer before he woke again, Steve now cuddled up beside him with arms around his shoulders. He leaned up and kissed Steve tenderly.  
"Morning?" He prompted. Steve whined and nuzzled in closer.

"Are you tired beloved?"  
"I'm fine." Steve paused, seeming to realise that he was cocooned within the blankets. He smiled bashfully as he tried to untangle himself. "Did you do this?"  
"No. You did this. I merely woke in the cold, and chose to watch you because you were entertaining me."

"Thanks." Steve frowned at him, then shook his head and smiled. "Don't suppose you can help me get out?"  
"It is rather entertaining to watch you struggle." Thor pointed out, but he reached down and carefully freed Steve from the blankets. "They will be here later."

"I'm counting on it." Steve answered. "We should bathe..." He reached for his towel, walking beside Thor to the baths in the palace. He was still a little self-conscious, and made his way to a more private bath, but he glanced back at Thor, tilting his head to call Thor to come with him. Thor followed him, smiling and resting a hand on Steve's waist. He didn't understand why Steve was a little shy about this, when he was quite so beautiful, but Steve preferred privacy and Thor preferred not to make his love feel uncomfortable, so this was the route that they took. 

Thor relaxed in the warm spring water, watching Steve, and then splashing him playfully. Steve laughed and dived down beneath the water, then pulled Thor beneath it. Thor flailed slightly at the shock, but came out laughing, pulling Steve close to him and stroking his fingers through his hair.   
"My little fool."  
"Hey." Steve pouted, but there was no hurt behind it. 

"We had best hurry." Thor prompted him. "We do not wish the others to find us in such a state."   
That comment was enough to get Steve moving, going to dress quickly and then going back to their room. He uncovered the portal and sat beside Thor, resting his head on Thor's shoulder.

It was not long to wait. Tony walked through first, carrying two drinks which he handed to Steve and Thor, and Loki followed behind with drinks for them both. They sat down on the shelf which had once been Steve's bed, and conversation began.

Thor could see the calmness in his brother now. Where previously Loki had seemed anxious, nervous of what was happening around him, things seemed a lot better. He sipped his drink and when Thor spoke he directed his questions to the two of them.  
"How have you been?"  
"It's been great." Tony spoke. "It's been wonderful, and now things are... busy." He grinned. "I mean, we have been working hard on that gift Frigga gave us, and I've managed to replicate it. Now we're looking at more practical aspects of it, you know? I mean, it makes a great kids' toy and I'm certainly not going to complain about that, I think it's very fun, but I'm not sure it's the best use of it." He paused and shrugged. "Maybe here it is, with some of the other things you have got. But for us... without better technology, there's other uses..."

"Have you been remembering to sleep?" Steve asked, and Thor smiled. He remembered Steve saying that Tony sometimes got himself caught up in what he was working, and forgot to take breaks.  
"Yeah." Tony answered. "Loki's doing well at reminding me."   
"Someone has to." Loki answered fondly. "And to teach you that there's other things to drink than caffeine."  
"You say that. I work great when I have caffeine."  
"The toaster has wheels." Loki said softly, and Tony dropped the argument.

Steve laughed, and so did Thor. He paused.   
"I should much like a toaster with wheels."  
"Then I can make you one." Tony answered. Thor nodded, pleased by the relationship he had helped to build between the two kingdoms.   
"It's so good we can see you now." Thor said simply. Steve nodded, and wrapped his arm around Thor's waist. Tony nodded.  
"It's good to see the two of you looking after each other."  
"We do what we can." Thor said quickly. "I am definitely enjoying the chance to take care of the good Captain."  
"He is." Steve answered, and Thor felt a faint sense of pride. He was helping and the two of them were happier together than Thor would ever have expected to be. They had his mother's blessing, and if Odin objected, he had not spoken of such things. 

***

It was not long before Tony had to go back to Earth - he'd been half way through a project when he had gone on the visit, and he hadn't wanted to risk it being spoiled by him leaving for too long. He told Loki he could stay, but Loki didn't want to be alone with the two lovebirds any more than he did. The two of them were soon back in the workshop.

Loki had shown to be a good student, with his small hands useful for skilful tasks. More than that, he was actually interested in the work Tony was doing, and able to offer his own unique insights which made things far better. Tony enjoyed working with him.   
“You still stuck on this?” Loki asked, arching an eyebrow. “You’re meant to be a genius.”   
“Genius yes. That doesn’t automatically mean I can make sense of some ancient runes.”

“They are Asgardian symbols.” Loki grouched, but he was smiling as he said it, looking over at the writing. “Like I said, that means enchanted flights of silver… here, look, see the way it is twisted? That helps the resonance…” Tony listened, adding in sarcastic comments where he could, and getting short answers in reply. It was surprisingly helpful, having Loki around to keep him talking. Loki smirked, leaning over and picking at one of the wires, highlighting an unsecure connection. Tony grabbed the soldering gun, letting Loki hold it in place, their hands brushing for a moment. 

“Where would you be without me?” Loki said in mock despair, shaking his head and smiling. “At least I am here now to look after you.”  
“Sure…” Tony answered. “You give me something to bounce ideas off of.”  
“You have Dummy for that.”  
“Yeah, but I like you better. You tend to have answers. Not necessarily right answers, but answers none the less.”

Tony had got used to their pattern of talking and teasing, which is why he was surprised when Loki leaned in towards him, putting a finger against his lips. Tony was startled, but before he could object Loki had removed his fingers, and instead pressed a gentle kiss there. He raised an eyebrow and Loki shrugged.  
“Your other connection’s messy.” He pointed at the wires, and Tony nodded, getting to work.

*** 

“Now.” Thor called, and Steve flung his shield into the air. It soared through the trees, heading towards the vicious wolves which had been terrorising the outer edges of the city. It clanged against the branches, causing the creatures to look up, and in their distraction Thor was amongst them, striking with his hammer. Steve ran forwards to join the fight, hitting out with the shield which returned to his hands.

The animals snarled, jumping up, and Steve threw the shield, protecting Thor from an attack but leaving himself momentarily undefended. Thor noticed his vulnerability, moving towards him and striking a wolf from him as they launched forwards. More wolves joined the fight but they kept on, their movements quick and violent. 

In a few minutes, it was over, and Steve and Thor stood in the centre of the field, panting for air.

Thor grinned, lifting up the body of the nearest wolf.  
"We should bring these back with us. They would make a spectacular set of robes perhaps, and some good furs for a bed."  
"Sure." Steve began to gather up the remains, and Thor reached out to rest his hand on Steve's shoulder.  
"Perhaps they would be fitting robes for a union... if that were to be happening..." He looked hesitant, ducking his head slightly and then looking up at him once more, his eyes bright with challenge. "Only if you wish it."  
"You... you mean us?" Steve asked, looking startled, At Thor's nod he leaned forwards and embraced him tightly, resting his head on Thor's chest and then kissing him tenderly. "I'd like that. I'd like that a lot."  
"Then will you do me the honour of being my husband?" Thor asked, hesitant again.

"I would love to." Steve answered, and with a smile he started to gather up the dead wolves. Thor knew that Steve would look amazing in a robe made from their pelts, but that was hardly surprising - Steve looked amazing in most things Thor had found. Steve was grinning as they carried the bodies back, and Thor found himself wondering what it was that was causing him so much amusement.  
"Yes?"  
"I was just thinking we should tell Tony."

"We must." Thor agreed, and he sped up his pace. Once they were back in the palace, they would have to visit Earth.

***

Tony was hard at work in the shop, his attention on the machine parts spread out in front of him. He had completely dismantled the engine, and was working on improving it when he heard Steve call out. He placed down his devices, and headed over to the portal just as Steve stepped through. Steve looked bright, his eyes sparkling, and he looked around quickly.

"You've got to get Loki."  
"Sure thing." Tony answered, heading off to do so. Thor was behind Steve, beaming broadly and almost vibrating with whatever news it was that he wanted to share. Tony was reminded a little of a child who wanted to talk to someone, and he was looking forwards to hearing what it was that had him so excited. 

Loki was in the library, reading through some of the books about electronics. He looked up when Tony arrived, raising an eyebrow.

"What is it?"  
"Thor and Steve have turned up. It's something urgent." Tony explained. Loki rolled his eyes and stood up.   
"I shall go with you." Loki agreed and they returned. Tony smiled to see Steve on the couch, leaning against Thor's shoulder and smiling broadly.

"What is it?" Tony asked. Thor smiled broadly.  
"We are going to be married." Thor answered, and Steve nodded.   
"Thor asked today. We killed some wolves earlier, we are going to use their pelts for robes on the day."  
Tony laughed slightly at that.  
"Of course you are... you're really enjoying it there, aren't you?"  
"I am." Steve answered with a broad smile. "I really am."

Tony nodded and looked between them.   
"I guess so. If you are sure, I mean."  
"I'm certain." Steve answered. "Absolutely."   
"Then you've got my blessing." Tony answered. "Assuming I get to be the best man."

Steve paused for a moment and then nodded.  
"Wouldn't have wanted to ask anyone else."


End file.
